By Chris Summers
Contributing Writer
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated he won’t bow to political pressure to do a deal with Hamas over the hostages and insisted the Israeli military needed to retain control of a strip of territory bordering Egypt, to prevent weapons being smuggled into the Gaza strip.
At least 500,000 Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and other cities Monday, demanding Netanyahu do more to bring home the remaining 101 hostages.
But Netanyahu said the Philadelphi corridor, which separates Gaza from Egypt, was vital to ensuring Hamas could not use tunnels beneath it to resupply its gunmen.
He said, “This is the oxygen of Hamas.”
Protesters are pressing the government to accept a ceasefire deal to return the remaining 101 hostages.
But Netanyahu said, “No one is more committed to freeing the hostages than me … No one will preach to me on this issue.”
The status of the Philadelphi corridor has been a major sticking point preventing a ceasefire between the Israelis and Hamas.
On Oct. 7 Hamas fighters crossed the border from the Gaza Strip and killed 1,200 Israelis before taking around 250 hostages.
Israel later invaded the Gaza Strip in order to neutralize Hamas and has rescued a number of hostages and recovered the bodies of many more. Fifty hostages were released during a brief ceasefire in November but Hamas is believed to be holding the remaining 101 captive.
Hamas has rejected any Israeli presence in the Philadelphi corridor but Netanyahu says it is non-negotiable and has pointed out IDF troops have unearthed dozens of tunnels used by Hamas to smuggle weapons and fuel.
‘Axis of Evil’
Netanyahu told a press conference in Jerusalem, “The axis of evil needs the Philadelphi corridor, and for that reason we must control the Philadelphi corridor.”
“Hamas insists for that reason that we not be there, and for that reason, I insist that we be there,” he added.
Negotiation between Israel and Hamas over the return of the Israeli and foreign hostages is believed to be linked to the release of dozens of Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons.
Hamas wants the ceasefire to lead to a final agreement ending the war in Gaza and leading to the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, but Netanyahu has been steadfast that Hamas has to be militarily defeated before peace is restored.
Public opinion in Israel is split on the issue.
Netanyahu’s stance has been criticized by U.S. President Joe Biden, who said Monday the Israeli prime minister was not doing enough to secure a hostage deal.
Six hostages’ bodies were recovered on Sunday from a tunnel in Rafah, only hours after they were shot dead by their captors, and Netanyahu is clearly unwilling to make concessions to murderers.
He said: “And now after this we’re asked to show seriousness? We’re asked to make concessions? What message does this send Hamas? It says, kill more hostages.”
Netanyahu Refuses More Concessions
Asked by a journalist if Israel had made enough concessions to achieve a deal on the hostages, Netanyahu retorted: “We’ve already made them. Hamas has to make the concession.”
On Monday, Abu Ubaida, a spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said new instructions had been given, in June, to those guarding the hostages, if Israeli forces approach their secret locations.
Ubaida said he held Israel responsible for the six hostages’ deaths on Sunday.
He did not give details about the new instructions, but said of the remaining hostages, “Netanyahu’s insistence to free prisoners through military pressure, instead of sealing a deal means they will be returned to their families in shrouds. Their families must choose whether they want them dead or alive.”
Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.