Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is resisting pressure to take stronger action to secure the release of Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip after 11 months of ongoing conflict. The pressure on Netanyahu has intensified due to mass protests in Israel and concerns expressed by U.S. President Joe Biden, especially after Israeli forces recently found the bodies of six captives, including 23-year-old American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Despite the growing demands, Netanyahu showed no signs of yielding on Monday. He emphasized that Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow strip along Gaza’s border with Egypt, is crucial for any ceasefire agreement. Netanyahu argues that this area is used by Hamas to smuggle weapons into Gaza, and maintaining control is essential to prevent Hamas from rearming. Egypt and Hamas deny these claims, and Hamas has rejected any Israeli presence in the corridor.
Netanyahu defended his stance, saying that controlling the corridor is vital to cut off what he described as the “oxygen of Hamas.” He also asserted his commitment to freeing the hostages, stating, “No one is more committed to freeing the hostages than me … No one will preach to me on this issue.”
However, Netanyahu’s key ally, the United States, appears to be losing patience. Speaking to reporters at the White House, President Biden expressed doubt that Netanyahu is doing enough to reach an agreement and hinted that the U.S. is close to presenting a final proposal to both sides. Biden mentioned that he plans to speak with Netanyahu “eventually” but did not provide a specific timeline.
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri interpreted Biden’s criticism as a sign that the U.S. recognizes Netanyahu’s responsibility for hindering progress toward a deal. He indicated that Hamas would respond positively to a proposal that includes a ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
In Israel, protests continued for a second day, with the largest trade union launching a general strike to pressure the government into securing the captives’ release. Months of negotiations, mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, have yet to result in an agreement based on a Gaza proposal introduced by Biden in May.
The conflict, which flared up on October 7 when Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack on Israel, has resulted in the deaths of 1,139 Israelis and the capture of around 250 others, according to Israeli sources. In response, Israel’s assault on Gaza has led to over 40,000 Palestinian deaths and displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million.
