JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Monday that the army will remain in the Gaza-Egypt border area known as the Philadelphi Corridor while stressing that Israel’s Cabinet will decide on the matter in a vote.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is known to oppose Netanyahu's position on keeping Israeli soldiers in the area.

Speaking to Israel’s Channel 14, Netanyahu said that Israel will remain in the Philadelphi Corridor, stressing that staying there has "political and security privileges."

He didn't elaborate further, however.

Netanyahu noted that everyone is allowed to express their opinion on the issue, including himself, but stressed that the decision to stay in the Philadelphi Corridor will be decided based on a majority vote in the Cabinet.

He added that he is confident that the Cabinet will back his decision to remain in the border area.

The Palestinian group Hamas last week accused Netanyahu of seeking to obstruct Gaza cease-fire efforts by introducing new demands that were not part of previous proposals discussed with mediators from Egypt and Qatar.

Despite months of mediation efforts hindered by Israel’s reluctance under US cover, a comprehensive agreement has yet to be reached.

So far, efforts by the US, Qatar and Egypt to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas have been hampered by Netanyahu's rejection of Hamas' call to halt hostilities.

Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

Nearly 38,700 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 89,000 injured, according to local health authorities.

More than nine months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar