Israel Pulls Out of Gaza’s Netzarim Corridor

The Israel Defense Forces (idf) began a full withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor in Gaza on Sunday, allowing Hamas terrorists to now move more freely in the Gaza Strip as part of the ceasefire deal.

Corridor: The Netzarim Corridor is a 4-mile-long Israeli military zone running through central Gaza that stretches from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea.

The idf established the military line early in the war to prevent Hamas from regrouping and remilitarizing the north. It was considered a vital buffer zone for the Israeli military, and in earlier ceasefire negotiations Israel suggested the establishment of an inspection mechanism along the corridor to screen Gazans who wanted to return to the north. But the United States rejected the proposal.

Withdrawal: Under the January 17 ceasefire deal sponsored by U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel agreed to withdraw its troops from the corridor in exchange for 33 of the hostages held captive by Hamas.

The idf partially withdrew from the corridor in late January, then fully withdrew on Sunday.

Hamas celebrates: The withdrawal of Israeli troops from the corridor means Hamas terrorists will be able to move more freely within the Gaza Strip. When the idf retreated, Hamas police took control of the corridor and is now managing the flow of Palestinians to the north.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said the withdrawal is “humiliating” for the Jewish state and that it is “a declaration of [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s defeat and failure to achieve his goals or maintain his hold on Gaza’s territory.”

Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif al-Qanoua said it shows the terrorist group has “forced the enemy to submit to our demands” and has destroyed “Netanyahu’s illusion of achieving total victory.”

Betrayal: This ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is devastating for the Jewish state. Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry said President Trump’s pressuring Israel into signing the deal was a major betrayal. Mr. Flurry warns that this deal will continue to have devastating consequences unless something soon changes.

Learn more: Read Mr. Flurry’s article “President Trump Betrayed Israel.”