Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military must retain open-ended control over Gaza’s southern border area with Egypt – known as the Philadelphia Corridor – digging in on a position that threatens to derail ceasefire efforts.

Netanyahu’s stance on the corridor – which was seized by Israeli forces in May – has become the key obstacle to reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza as pressure mounts on the Israeli leader amid mass protests domestically demanding that a deal be reached that brings captives home and international outrage as the number of Palestinians confirmed killed by Israel’s military in Gaza nears 41,000.

“Gaza must be demilitarized, and this can only happen if the Philadelphia Corridor remains under firm control,” Netanyahu told foreign journalists on Wednesday.

Netanyahu said Israel must maintain control of the corridor to prevent weapons being smuggled into Gaza and that Israel would only consider withdrawing from the strategic location when presented with an alternative plan to police the area.

“Bring me anyone who will actually show us … that they can actually prevent the recurrence” of smuggling, he said. “I don’t see that happening right now. And until that happens, we’re there.”

When asked by journalists for a timeline for Israel ending its war on Gaza, Netanyahu refused to give one.

“How long can we do this? As long as it takes to achieve this victory. And I think we’re getting a lot closer,” he said.

Netanyahu has faced searing criticism from many in Israel for his position on the Philadelphia Corridor, including from within his own military and security establishment who believe Israeli troops do not need to be permanently based in Gaza and could, instead, launch targeted raids if required to stop arms smuggling.

Egypt, a mediator in the ceasefire talks along with the US and Qatar, has also demanded a concrete timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from the corridor which runs along its border. The United Arab Emirates, which established formal ties with Israel in the 2020 Abraham Accords – designed to normalize Arab-Israeli relations – has also criticized Israel’s decision to control the corridor on Wednesday.

In a statement released on Thursday, Hamas blamed Netanyahu for the ongoing impasse in ceasefire talks and accused the Israeli leader of wanting to prolong the war on Gaza.

“Netanyahu’s decision not to withdraw from the Salah al-Din [Philadelphia Corridor] axis aims to thwart reaching an agreement,” Hamas said in the statement.

“We warn against falling into Netanyahu’s trap and tricks, as he uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people,” Hamas said, adding that Israel must be held to a deal that was agreed earlier this year.

“We do not need new proposals. What is required now is to pressure Netanyahu and his government and oblige them to what has been agreed upon,” the statement reads.