Netanyahu: Plan to take control of Gaza food distribution from Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel plans to wrest control of food distribution in the Gaza Strip from Hamas.

Netanyahu said Wednesday the move was aimed at stopping Hamas from forcibly looting humanitarian aid, Bloomberg reported. "They steal food and charge high prices to the people of Gaza, and this is how they hope to continue to survive."

"We have to take away their control," he said. I don't want to rule Gaza. I don't want to run Gaza. But I want to take that away from them."

It is not clear whether Netanyahu wants the Israeli military to distribute food and necessities to the Palestinians or international aid groups to do so under Israeli supervision.

Early in the war, Israel refused to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, drawing worldwide condemnation and pressure from the United States.

Netanyahu also doubled down on his refusal to withdraw from a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border as part of the ceasefire and hostage deal.

He said Israeli soldiers would remain in the Philadelphia corridor during the first phase of any agreement, which would last 42 days. He said Israel was willing to discuss different arrangements if another international force could seal the border, although he expressed doubt that such an agreement could be reached.

A senior U.S. official said Wednesday that the Philadelphia corridor is not the only divisive issue in the cease-fire talks. Another point of contention is how many Palestinian prisoners will be freed for every Israeli hostage, an issue marred by the recent deaths of six hostages.