Despite Netanyahu's Claims, Israeli Army Finds No Signs Hamas Preparing to Smuggle Hostages to Egypt via Philadelphi Route
Israeli defense officials estimate that Hamas leader Sinwar lacks the capacity to transfer hostages to Rafah and from there to Egypt, despite Netanyahu's claims that one of the main reasons to keep troops in the Philadelphi route is the fear that Hamas will attempt to smuggle hostages out of Gaza
Israeli defense officials estimate that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar lacks the capacity to transfer hostages to the Rafah area and from there to Egypt, let alone to other countries.
The defense establishment says that if this was Sinwar's intention, he could have done so in the first months of the war, when the army had not yet entered the southern Gaza Strip.
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According to Netanyahu, he insisted that Israel remain in the Philadelphi route even before Israel's 2005 disengagement from Gaza and some areas of the West Bank, but for 14 out of his 15 years in office, he did nothing about it.
He also said, "If you leave, you don't come back. I know that if we leave there, we might not return there for 42 years. But we won't give in on this, and we will not put ourselves into a terrible trap."
Netanyahu went on to attack Defense Minister Yoav Gallant: "We've made it clear that this is our position, but voices began to be heard from within – from within the cabinet, from ministers who said it's no problem and we can leave. This is why I had to officially bring it to the cabinet and make clear that there are things we do not compromise on."
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