The discussion in the security cabinet on Thursday evening regarding the hostage deal escalated into a shouting match between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, according to two senior officials familiar with the contents of the discussion.
At the beginning of the meeting, the defense minister presented a lengthy review to the ministers, arguing that the hostage deal is a strategic crossroads for Israel. He emphasized that if Israel does not proceed with the deal, the implications are much broader than just the issue of the hostages, stating that such inaction could lead to a regional war.
Two senior Israeli officials said that towards the end of the discussion, after midnight, Netanyahu surprised the ministers with an unplanned announcement that he wanted to bring to a vote the continued presence of IDF forces in the Philadelphi Corridor.
Uproar in the cabinet meeting
Netanyahu’s remarks caused an uproar in the cabinet meeting. Defense Minister Gallant opposed the move, telling Netanyahu and the other ministers that when the cabinet makes an official decision like this, it “ties Israel’s hands” in negotiations on the hostage deal.
A senior Israeli official said that after Netanyahu announced his intention to bring the issue to a vote, Gallant responded, saying, “The prime minister has the authority to bring any decision to a vote. Even to execute the hostages.”
Gallant stated that making an official decision to stay in the Philadelphi Corridor as part of the hostage deal would effectively hand over control of Israel’s strategic direction to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Gallant argued that if Sinwar does not concede on the issue of the Philadelphi Corridor, it means that Israel has effectively given up on one of its war objectives—the return of the hostages.
“The choice is between remaining in the Philadelphi Corridor and returning the hostages. You can’t have both,” Gallant said during the meeting. “In the end, we’ll find that either the hostages will die, or we’ll be forced to backtrack on this decision.”
Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Mossad Director David Barnea expressed reservations before the vote. According to two cabinet sources, Halevi said during the meeting that such an official decision would be an unnecessary constraint that would further complicate an already complex situation concerning the hostages.
Barnea also expressed reservations about the vote, stating that it was unnecessary at this point since the focus of the negotiations at this stage is not on the Philadelphi Corridor but on the lists of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be released in the deal.
“Bibi set a trap for Gallant in the cabinet regarding the Philadelphi Corridor. The discussion was very unpleasant and became heated,” said a source familiar with the details of the meeting.
The Prime Minister’s Office claimed that the chief of staff and the Mossad director did not express reservations about the vote. The IDF Spokesperson said they would not comment on statements made in closed classified meetings.
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