Two sources involved in the ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release told i24NEWS correspondent Amichai Stein that Israel has dropped its demand for control of the Morag Corridor from the maps submitted to mediators.
The revised maps, presented recently as part of efforts to advance an agreement, reportedly reflect increased Israeli flexibility. According to the sources, the updated maps no longer include a demand for IDF presence in the corridor, signaling a readiness to progress toward a deal.
“The issue now is not the Morag Corridor - but the Israeli presence in the Rafah area,” one source said.
Mediators have expressed renewed optimism following the development, though they have done so in previous rounds as well. The sources were quoted as saying, “The new maps significantly advance the possibility of a deal in the near future.”
Meanwhile, on Wednesday morning, the IDF announced the establishment of a new corridor under its control in the Gaza Strip. Combat teams from the 188th Brigade and the Golani Brigade have completed the creation of the “Magen Oz” corridor, which divides eastern and western Khan Yunis.
Spanning approximately 15 kilometers, the corridor plays a key role in operational efforts to exert pressure on Hamas and defeat its Khan Yunis Brigade. The IDF reported that dozens of terrorists were eliminated, and terror infrastructure, including weapons caches and underground tunnels, was located and destroyed.