Defiant Netanyahu insists Israel must control strategic border corridor in Gaza

Benjamin Netanyahu has defied protests at home and criticism from Joe Biden by vowing that Israel would not relinquish control over a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egyptian border.

In a combative press conference, the Israeli prime minister presented control of the Philadelphi corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt as a primary war aim, entrenching a position that has emerged as a key obstacle to a ceasefire deal.

“Israel will not accept the massacre of six hostages, Hamas will pay a heavy price,” said Netanyahu, standing in front of a wall-sized map of the Gaza strip that included clipart of bombs and missiles crossing the border. “Iran’s axis of evil needs the Philadelphi corridors … Israel must control it.”

The remarks came hours after the US president met with his top advisers on the Gaza conflict and told reporters that he did not believe Netanyahu was doing enough to secure a ceasefire deal with Hamas.

Netanyahu’s remarks came after protests this weekend prompted by the discovery of the bodies of six hostages in Gaza. Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated against the government’s handling of the war in Gaza and efforts to release dozens of hostages who remain in captivity.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Biden said that his administration was “very close” to proposing a “final” hostage deal to both sides that has assumed new urgency since the discovery of the bodies, including that of Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

The Washington Post had previously reported that the Biden administrationwas preparing to propose a “take it or leave it” deal that, if it failed, could mark the end of US-led efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Israeli and Hamas.

Biden did not reveal details of the new proposal, and asked why he thought a new deal could prove successful after months of unsuccessful attempts, said: “Hope springs eternal.”

The White House said that Biden received a briefing from top-level advisers including the national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, and the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, where they discussed “next steps” in the ceasefire efforts in collaboration with co-mediators Egypt and Qatar.

Netanyahu has remained defiant over Israeli claims to strategic points in Gaza, despite significant internal and international pressure to secure at least a temporary ceasefire in the 11-month-old war.

During his remarks on Monday, the Israeli prime minister apologised to the families of the six hostages found dead in Gaza over the weekend, but then quickly pivoted to defend his government’s control over the Philadelphi corridor. That has been seen as a non-starter for a potential ceasefire deal with Hamas.

“In the war against the axis of evil, in this specific war against Hamas and also in the north, we have set four goals: defeat Hamas; return our hostages; ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat; and to return residents to the south,” he said. “Three of these goals pass through the Philadelphi route, Hamas’s oxygen pipe.”

The Israeli opposition leader, Yair Lapid derided Netanyahu’s presentation as “political spin” with “no relation to reality”.

“Not one professional buys this spin. Not the security personnel, not the international system, not the fighters who are actually in Gaza and know the reality there,” Lapid said, according to the Times of Israel.

The Philadelphi corridor has only emerged as an Israeli government talking point in recent weeks, and was not part of the plan that Biden presented in May, which the Israeli government said at the time it accepted.