Published: 22 August 2024
Last updated: 27 August 2024
Whether or not the hostages will come home or be forsaken to die in Gaza now hinges on the fate of a small strip of desert sand.
In May this year, the IDF took control of the Philadelphi corridor, a 14-kilometre-long demilitarised strip of land between Gaza and Egypt. Israel’s presence there is a direct violation of the Camp David Accords, leading Egypt to demand that Israel withdraws immediately.
The fact that Hamas built tunnels under this corridor to smuggle in weapons is no less a violation of international law. Their crimes of October 7 and the taking of so many innocent hostages are affronts to our humanity that many Israelis will never forgive. Thankfully, most of these tunnels have now been destroyed.
Yet in just four months, the Philadelphi corridor and the Netzarim corridor that severs the southern and northern parts of Gaza have become the holy of holies for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the logic now governing the negotiations, the corridor has become land Israel can no longer live without.
Comments1
Rachel Sussman27 August at 12:28 pm
I can feel every word you say, who can argue with it? It cuts the heart like a knife… And still… How do you calm the fear within? The fear of knowing that once you leave, things will go back to how they were – the corridor will become once more a channel to rebuild Hamas in no time once more… We were there before leaving Hezbollah in the care on Internationsl forced who were supposed to ensure it does not re- arm and look what happened?
We are in no win place I am afraid…we need to choose between the hostages and future security… heartbreaking …