Israel's Channel 12 quoted ousted Defense Minister Yoav Galant as saying, "The Chief of Staff and I said that there is no security consideration for remaining in the Philadelphi corridor."

"Netanyahu says there is political importance to staying in the Philadelphi corridor, and I say: there is no political importance in that," he added.

"We have nothing left to do in Gaza, and we have achieved all the major accomplishments," he said.

"I fear that we stayed in Gaza because there is a desire to stay there," he added.