At a regional councils’ conference held yesterday (Wednesday), Defense Minister Israel Katz disclosed that during the ceasefire, Hamas sought to take advantage of the calm to plan attacks against communities on the border of Judea and Samaria and in the Seam Zone.
According to Katz, the IDF successfully obtained Hamas’ “attack files,” which detailed how the terror organization intended to harm both soldiers and civilians.
“The Philadelphi Corridor Will Remain a Buffer Zone, Just Like in Lebanon and Syria”
Minister Katz also addressed discussions regarding the IDF’s continued presence in the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, stating that the corridor will serve as a permanent buffer zone, similar to Israel’s borders with Lebanon and Syria. “I have personally seen numerous cross-border tunnels in Philadelphi,” he said. “Some were sealed off, while others remained open.”
The Defense Minister made it clear that Hamas will not be allowed to reestablish terror infrastructure on Israel’s southern border. “The Philadelphi Corridor will remain a buffer zone, just like in Lebanon and Syria. We will not allow Hamas to use breaks in the fighting to regroup and attempt to harm Israeli civilians.”
Katz’s statements come in the wake of an earlier declaration by a senior political official affirming that Israel will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor: “We will not allow Hamas murderers to roam our border with trucks and rifles, nor will we permit them to rearm through smuggling,” the statement read.
