Israel's Gaza Ceasefire Conditions: A Step Towards Deeper Control

As Israel and Hamas move closer to a ceasefire agreement, the Israeli government is insisting on maintaining its military presence in a southern corridor of the Gaza Strip, a condition that could derail the talks. An Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the outstanding issue in the negotiations is Israel's desire to keep forces in the territory during a 60-day truce, including in the east-west axis that Israel calls the Morag corridor.

Critics fear that this move is a precursor to the coerced relocation of much of Gaza's population of some 2 million people, and part of the Israeli government's plans to maintain lasting control over the territory. Hamas, which still holds dozens of hostages and refuses calls by Israel to surrender, wants Israel to withdraw all of its troops as part of any permanent truce. It is adamantly opposed to any lasting Israeli presence inside Gaza.

Key Takeaways:

• Israel is insisting on maintaining its military presence in the Morag corridor, a condition that could derail the ceasefire talks, despite Hamas's opposition to any lasting Israeli presence inside Gaza.
• The Morag corridor, one of three that carve up Gaza, stretches about 12 kilometers from Israel to the Mediterranean coast and is about 1 kilometer wide.
• Israel's plan to move hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into a "humanitarian city" is seen by critics as a precursor to the coerced relocation of Gaza's population of some 2 million people.
• Rights groups see the planned new push to get Palestinians to head south as forcible displacement.
• Israeli troops in the Morag corridor would serve as a screening zone for Palestinians being moved south, to prevent Hamas from infiltrating the area.
• The move could allow Israel to ramp up the pressure on Hamas in northern Gaza, where guerrilla-style fighting continues to dog Israeli troops.
• Critics say the Israeli plan paves the way for the expulsion of Palestinians from the territory and for Israel to assert control over it.

Statistics:

• 2 million: The estimated population of Gaza.
• 60 days: The proposed duration of the ceasefire truce.
• 12 kilometers: The length of the Morag corridor.
• 1 kilometer: The width of the Morag corridor.
• 60-day: The proposed duration of the ceasefire truce.
• Dozens: The number of hostages still held by Hamas.

Sources:

• Tia Goldenberg, "Israel says it wants to maintain troops in Gaza corridor" (Associated Press, [no date])
• Kobi Michael, senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and Misgav (interview)
• Michael Milshtein, Israeli expert on Palestinian affairs and former military intelligence officer (interview)
• Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (statement)
• Hamas (statement)
• The Associated Press (caption)