Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly determined to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas and is showing new flexibility regarding the withdrawal from the Morag Corridor between Rafah and Khan Yunis, sources familiar with a security cabinet meeting said Sunday.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said negotiations are ongoing in Doha and that updated maps are being reviewed. While a deal may not materialize within days, they said the talks are progressing and could take a few more days.
“If a deal is reached, there will be no humanitarian city in Rafah under the current circumstances because no humanitarian zone would be maintained,” one source said. “Netanyahu is willing to compromise on issues he previously held firm on.”
During the cabinet discussion, IDF representatives estimated that establishing the planned “humanitarian city” in Rafah — a vast tent camp intended to house up to half a million displaced Gazans — would take over a year and cost between $10 billion and $15 billion. This sharply contrasts with earlier projections suggesting the camp could be built within six months.
According to participants, Netanyahu was angered by the military’s timeline and demanded a “more realistic” plan that would be shorter less expensive and more practical. He ordered officials to submit an improved proposal.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Some participants said the IDF appeared reluctant to fully back the humanitarian city project which has drawn international criticism and may be presenting an unrealistic timeline to stall the plan.
The discussion also touched on funding sources for the project with cost estimates ranging from several billion to tens of billions of shekels. Israel does not intend to allow residents of the camp to return to northern Gaza.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir criticized the humanitarian city initiative calling it a “smokescreen” to conceal an impending hostage deal with Hamas. “This humanitarian city will certainly not be built as part of the surrender deal being negotiated with Hamas under which the IDF will withdraw from terror areas seized in combat hundreds of deadly terrorists will be released and Hamas will gain breathing room to rebuild,” he said. “Spin is no substitute for total victory.”