Will Israel leave the Philadelphi corridor in four days?

Israel reportedly has no intention to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor separating Egypt from the Gaza Strip, according to a report tonight (Wednesday) by Channel 12 News.

The first phase of the hostage deal is set to be completed by Saturday, raising the question of where Israel and Hamas go from there - to renewed war or some form of negotiations.

According to the original hostage deal, Israel and Hamas should be moving to the second phase of the deal, where Israel withdraws almost entirely from the Gaza Strip and announces a permanent end to the war. Israel, meanwhile, is demanding that Hamas entirely disarm and be divested of all governing power in exchange.

Multiple reports suggest that Israel is uninterested in committing to the second phase of the deal on these conditions, and is instead pushing for an "expanded first phase" in which exchanges continue - hostages for terrorists, to free as many living and slain hostages as possible without making concessions such as ending the war.

To that end, Israel is expected to send a delegation with a limited mandate to Doha or Qatar to discuss the necessary arrangements to extend the ceasefire, though i24 News says that this will happen only after the last exchange of slain hostages and terrorists takes place.

Hawkish elements within the Netanyahu government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Minister Amichai Chikli have both repeatedly stated that they would bring down the government if the IDF withdrew from the Philadelphi Corridor or agreed to officially end the war with Hamas.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed the importance of holding the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent manpower and weapons smuggling via Egypt to help rearm and resupply Hamas. His critics have noted that Hamas is nevertheless recovering by stealing the large amounts of humanitarian aid flowing into the Gaza Strip and reselling it to pay for members and terrorist infrastructure.