The political-security Cabinet decided last night by a majority of eight supporters, against one opponent (Minister Yoav Gallant) and one abstention (Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir), to approve maps that determine the IDF's continued presence on the Philadelphi Route as part of a potential hostage release deal, according to sources present at the discussion.
According to these sources, the Cabinet's decision ensures that the IDF will stay on the Philadelphi Route. The maps were drawn up by the IDF and adopted by the United States as part of the framework for returning the hostages. Cabinet ministers stated that this decision brings the possibility of a deal closer, as it makes it clear to Hamas that it will need to compromise on the Philadelphi Route, just as it has compromised on its demand to end the war.
**Most of the Deceased Hostages Were Killed in the First Six Months of the Attack**
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified that the October 7 disaster occurred because the Philadelphi Route was not under Israeli control. Weapons were smuggled through the route in massive quantities, which were used by terrorist organizations in Gaza. The Prime Minister stated that this situation will not happen again, and this time Israel is determined to maintain control over this border.
Additionally, the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers noted that even before the disengagement, security officials claimed they would handle the first rocket attack, which did not happen once Hamas began firing at Israel. Security officials also believed they could handle the withdrawal from Lebanon and, even earlier, the importation of terrorist elements into Judea and Samaria as part of the Oslo Accords. These assessments also proved incorrect.
The Cabinet also stated that initial checks by professionals indicate that most of the deceased hostages were killed in the first six months—during the Hamas attack—not in recent months.
**Hostage Families’ Headquarters: "There Is No Day When Netanyahu Doesn't Act to Endanger the Return of All Hostages"**
The Hostage Families' Headquarters responded to the Cabinet’s decision and criticized the Prime Minister: "After almost a year of neglect, Netanyahu never misses an opportunity to ensure there will be no deal. There is no day when Netanyahu does not actively work to endanger the return of all the hostages. The Israeli government did not rush in the early months of the war to launch an offensive on the Philadelphi Route, Rafah, and the southern Gaza Strip," they said.
"What will happen if we withdraw from the route for a limited period and allow a deal to be closed?" asked the Headquarters, adding: "The IDF confirmed the destruction of 80% of Hamas’s tunnels in Rafah, the Americans and Egyptians are providing guarantees that were not previously offered, including the establishment of a barrier, and the Egyptians are ready for an Israeli presence in Rafah and request a symbolic presence of the Palestinian Authority—are we abandoning hostages and sabotaging a deal for this?"
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