IDF Withdrawal from Gaza Part of Ceasefire Agreement with Israel

On August 20, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a cease-fire and hostage-release deal in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. This deal reportedly includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. His statement comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to maintain that an Israeli military presence will persist in the region.

Blinken is currently on his ninth visit to the Middle East since the war erupted on October 7. He is advocating for a so-called bridge cease-fire deal, aimed at reconciling the differences between the two sides and achieving a lasting end to the violence in Gaza, as well as securing the release of over 100 hostages held by Hamas.

During this latest trip, Blinken expressed both optimism and urgency regarding the negotiations. While in Israel on Monday, he mentioned that Netanyahu had agreed to the cease-fire deal, and they were keenly awaiting Hamas’s response.

While the specific details of the deal have not been disclosed, a crucial stipulation involves the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. However, Netanyahu seemed to dismiss this condition during discussions with families of hostages on Tuesday.

In a statement from the Tikva Forum, shared on Facebook, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel would “not relinquish security control over the Philadelphi Route,” a pivotal route used by Hamas. This corridor is situated on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt and has been noted for enabling smuggling activities.

The Jerusalem Post, referencing a joint statement from Tikva and Valor Forum—a group of families of hostages—reported that Netanyahu expressed skepticism about the possibility of securing a hostage deal. “We will not accept an outline that includes an end to the war,” he is quoted as saying.

While Netanyahu’s office did not directly address his remarks, they stated that he was focused on “preserving our strategic security assets.”

At a press conference in Doha on Tuesday, Blinken responded to queries about Netanyahu’s comments. He reiterated that the United States has made it clear that it does not support any long-term Israeli occupation of Gaza.

“More specifically, the agreement is very clear on the schedule and the locations of IDF withdrawals from Gaza, and Israel has agreed to that,” Blinken stated. He noted that he could not comment on Netanyahu’s remarks but mentioned that he had received assurances from the Prime Minister that Israel supported the bridging proposal.

According to Blinken, “Israel has now accepted that proposal—I heard that directly from Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday—and we hope and expect that Hamas will do the same.” He stressed that achieving this consensus is critical, and further detailed implementation agreements are necessary to enforce the cease-fire.

In a separate engagement, Blinken met with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Abdelatty and expressed gratitude for Egypt’s role in facilitating an immediate cease-fire, the release of all hostages, and the delivery of crucial humanitarian assistance. The two officials also discussed ongoing coordination efforts for peace initiatives in Sudan.