Egypt has reiterated its refusal to accept an Israeli presence at the Rafah border crossing or the Philadelphi Corridor. This stance comes amidst ongoing ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, where a key obstacle has been Israel’s insistence on maintaining a presence in the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons. The Philadelphi Corridor is a narrow strip of land, approximately 14.5 kilometers long, situated along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt.
Israel’s control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, seized in early May, has disrupted a vital aid route for Gaza. This action has drawn strong criticism from Egypt and other nations.
According to a report in the Times of Israel, citing Egypt’s state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV, Egypt is actively mediating between Israel and Hamas, prioritizing its national security in the process. While negotiations, also facilitated by Qatar and the US, have yielded limited progress towards a ceasefire, Washington expressed some positive developments on Friday.
Hamas confirmed that their delegation met with Egyptian and Qatari mediators before departing Cairo, where Israeli negotiators were also anticipated. Despite these interactions, a ceasefire agreement remains elusive.
