United States President Joe Biden is expected to urge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show greater flexibility regarding Israeli military presence along the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border to facilitate a ceasefire and hostage agreement, sources told Axios on Wednesday, Ednews informs.
The Biden-Netanyahu telephone conversation will take place later today. Namely, the dispute over control of the Philadelphi Corridor emerged during recent negotiations, with Israel seeking to retain control while Hamas demanded a complete Israeli withdrawal from the area.
Netanyahu's demand was also faced with opposition from Egypt, which is said to be insisting on Israel's full withdrawal from the corridor and the Rafah border crossing, an insider previously told Al-Qahera News channel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also stressed that Washington is against "long-term" Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip upon his departure from Doha.
