A bitter dispute about the conditions for a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza erupted between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet on Thursday night, according to multiple reports in Israeli media. <\/p>\n
The Philadelphi corridor is currently controlled by the IDF. The deployment of Israeli troops along the corridor during the first phase of a ceasefire agreement has been a major point of contention between Israel and Hamas, with Hamas saying Israeli troops must withdraw from the border zone. <\/p>\n
According to multiple accounts, Netanyahu produced maps showing how the IDF should remain in the corridor during the first phase of the deal \u2013 in which hostages are also meant to be released \u2013 so as to prevent Hamas from resuming arms smuggling through tunnels under the corridor. <\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to bring the decision on the IDF troops remaining in the Philadelphi Corridor for the Cabinet\u2019s approval,\u201d Netanyahu is reported to have said. <\/p>\n
Gallant interjected, according to the accounts of the meeting, saying: \u201cThe significance of this is that Hamas won\u2019t agree to it, so there won\u2019t be an agreement and there won\u2019t be any hostages released.\u201d <\/p>\n
He also alleged that Netanyahu had drawn up different maps to those preferred by Israeli negotiators in Cairo, adding: \u201cYou imposed these maps on them.\u201d <\/p>\n
Netanyahu angrily rejected the claim, but Gallant persisted. \u201cOf course you forced (it). You\u2019re running the negotiations on your own. Since you disbanded the War Cabinet, we hear everything after the fact.\u201d <\/p>\n
Gallant appeared to receive support from the Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi, who was at the meeting. He is reported to have said that the IDF could withdraw from the corridor and return \u201cat the end of six weeks of ceasefire. There are enough constraints for negotiations, there\u2019s no need to add another one.\u201d <\/p>\n
According to published accounts, Gallant said at one point that \u201cthe prime minister can indeed make all the decisions, and he can also decide to kill all the hostages,\u201d provoking rebukes from other ministers. He added that \u201c30 lives are at stake.\u201d <\/p>\n
Gallant added that \u201cin the end Sinwar will dictate to you and you\u2019ll retract,\u201d a reference to the Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who is thought to be in hiding in Gaza. Netanyahu in response reportedly insisted that no one dictated to him, saying that \u201conly determined negotiation will make him (Sinwar) fold.\u201d <\/p>\n
The cabinet proceeded to vote on the maps that Netanyahu presented, approving them by eight to one, the only dissenter being Gallant. The right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir abstained from the vote. Israeli media cited sources close to him as saying he opposed any gradual decrease in the number of soldiers in the corridor. <\/p>\n
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum responded to the media reports of the meeting with a statement that they \u201cshould cause every Israeli citizen to lose sleep.\u201d <\/p>\n
Reports of the dispute between top Israeli officials emerged as violence continues to rock the Israeli-occupied West Bank. <\/p>\n
Two security incidents happened overnight on Friday, in which two men were shot dead and a vehicle exploded, according to the IDF. <\/p>\n
The IDF said that a vehicle caught fire and exploded late Friday at a gas station at the Gush Etzion intersection. \u201cForces that arrived at the point shot and killed the terrorist who got out of the vehicle and tried to attack them.\u201d <\/p>\n
The IDF said that nearby, \u201cterrorists tried to run over a security guard at the entrance to the settlement of Karmei Tzur,\u201d a settlement north of the city of Hebron. One of them was killed. <\/p>\n
The IDF said there had been several casualties in the two incidents. <\/p>\n
The Israeli emergency services (MDA) said that shortly before midnight it received a report of two gunshot victims near the gas station. The victims were moderately injured with gunshot wounds. <\/p>\n
The MDA said that a vehicle apparently breached the entrance to the Karmei Tzur community. The head of security at the settlement received minor injuries when pursuing the vehicle, according to the IDF, and \u201cduring the confrontation, an explosive device in the terrorist\u2019s car detonated.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Palestine Islamic Jihad movement said its fighters were responsible for the attacks and claimed without offering evidence that a number of Israeli soldiers had been killed. <\/p>\n
The IDF said Saturday that security forces continue searches for additional suspects near Karmei Tzur community. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe initial examination of the vehicle explosion at the Gush Etzion gas station indicated that the incident was an attempted car bombing by a terrorist,\u201d it said. <\/p>\n
Several soldiers had received light or moderate injuries, it said. <\/p>\n
The incidents come amid a substantial Israeli operation in the West Bank over the past few days which the IDF has said is targeting militants preparing attacks on Israel. <\/p>\n
In the north of the West Bank, Israel\u2019s military is continuing its offensive in Jenin city and refugee camp for a fourth consecutive day, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported Saturday, citing local sources. <\/p>\n
It said eyewitnesses claimed Israeli military reinforcements had been deployed to the Jenin refugee camp and raided several homes. <\/p>\n
\u201cIsraeli military bulldozers have been destroying streets and infrastructure in both the city and the refugee camp, causing significant damage to electricity and water networks,\u201d WAFA reported. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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