On Monday evening, September 9, 2024, an Israeli TV channel reported that Egypt refused to host a new round of ceasefire talks regarding Gaza and prisoner exchanges between Tel Aviv and Hamas, due to its “anger” at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions and remarks concerning the Philadelphi Corridor.
Private Channel 13 stated: “Israel and the United States have, over the past few days, attempted to push for a new summit similar to those held in Cairo and Doha in recent months.”
It added: “However, the Egyptians are extremely upset by Netanyahu’s comments about the Philadelphi Corridor and Egypt’s conduct during the press conference he held.”
On Wednesday, during a press conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said that the Israeli military would not withdraw from the Rafah crossing or the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, stating that the corridor is “Hamas’ lifeline, through which weapons are smuggled from Egypt.”
At that time, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel insists on not withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor, even during the initial phase of the proposed deal, adding, “Staying in the Philadelphi Corridor prevents the smuggling of hostages.”
Both Egypt and Hamas oppose Israel’s presence in the Philadelphi Corridor as a condition for a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in Gaza, demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from the strip.
Netanyahu’s Office Steps In
The report also mentioned that Mossad chief David Barnea informed Netanyahu of attempts to coordinate the summit and ease the tensions in Cairo.
The channel quoted a senior Israeli official, who remained unnamed, stating that “the Egyptians felt that Netanyahu had treated them like a banana republic, and the messages they conveyed to Israel were awful.”
In response, Netanyahu’s office said: “The Prime Minister has not blocked the summit. His ongoing policy is to continue negotiations, despite the difficulties.”
It added: “The Prime Minister values peaceful relations with Egypt and believes that Israeli control over the Philadelphi Corridor is essential for Israel’s security, with no contradiction between the two.”
Israel’s Excuses
During a joint press conference in Cairo with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Abdel Ati added, “Every time we get close to an agreement in Gaza, we face provocative policies aimed at further escalation.”
The Egyptian Foreign Minister went on to say: “We have spent vast amounts of money constructing a security fence and destroying tunnels at the Gaza border,” stressing that “claims about weapons entering Gaza from our side are outright lies.”
Since October 7, with American support, Israel has been waging a war on Gaza, resulting in over 135,000 Palestinian casualties, most of whom are women and children.
