Ceasefire "rumors" [View all]

Early this morning, Israel’s security cabinet approved maps for the IDF to stay in the Philadelphi Corridor even in the case of a cease-fire. Sources in the meeting claim the map was “adopted by the US as part of the outline to return the hostages.”

The source said cabinet ministers said that the decision brings a deal closer because it shows Hamas that Israel is serious about remaining along the Gaza-Egypt border.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant opposed - he has said Israel can give up its position along Philadelphi for a hostages deal — and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir abstained — he opposes a hostage deal in which Palestinian terrorists are released from prison.

Netanyahu told the cabinet that Oct. 7 wouldn’t have happened if Israel controlled Philadelphi because Hamas used it to bring weapons into Gaza. He noted that before the Gaza disengagement security officials thought they could stop Hamas from shooting rockets, stop terror before the withdrawal from south Lebanon and the Oslo Accords and they were wrong.

Defense officials also told ministers that their assessment is that most of the hostages that Hamas murdered were killed in the early months of the war.

There are a lot of questions about this update and if/when I get answers I’ll add them to this thread.

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