Israel Prolongs Full Control on Gaza’s Land Border

 

The Philadelphi Corridor, a strategically significant buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border, has been fully under Israeli military control, according to an announcement. Israel now has complete control over Gaza's land border as a result. According to a spokeswoman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hamas was using roughly 20 tunnels to transfer weapons into Gaza. The Egyptian government, on the other hand, has disputed the existence of these tunnels and asserted that Israel is trying to use them as a pretext for its military actions in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The IDF maintains its offensive in Rafah and other areas of Gaza despite these denials, claiming to have struck more than 50 terror sites in the last day.

Attacks and Casualties
According to the Israeli Defense Forces, three Israeli troops were murdered and three were gravely injured in a Rafah building that was trapped. Two more soldiers lost their lives in a car-ramming incident close to Nablus.

Statement from the IDF Spokesperson
The Philadelphi Corridor is now under operational control of Israeli soldiers, according to IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. He said that the region served as Hamas's main conduit for bringing weapons into Gaza. Hagari stated that the area's tunnels are being examined and neutralized by military. Later, he informed reporters that it is still unknown if all of the tunnels go all the way into Egypt. The Philadelphi Corridor is a 13-kilometer-long, 100-meter-wide buffer zone that runs along Gaza's border with Egypt. Israel is the only other geographical border that Gaza shares.

Relations between Israel and Egypt
In the past, Egypt has asserted that it demolished cross-border tunnels to stop the passage of weapons. But Israel contends that winning the battle requires taking control of Rafah. After a significant attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of almost 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 252 others, the fighting started. According to the health ministry administered by Hamas, at least 36,170 individuals have died in Gaza since the conflict began.

Tensions and Reactions in the Region
Due to the Gaza situation, Turkey has ceased all trade with Israel, and since Israeli forces have taken control of the Gaza side of Rafah, tensions between Egypt and Israel have increased. An Egyptian soldier lost his life in an earlier border incident involving Israeli and Egyptian troops. Egypt has slammed Israel's military activities in Gaza and voiced its strong support for the Palestinians, denouncing the killing of thousands of innocent people. Both Egypt and Israel have kept a blockade on their borders with Gaza since Hamas took power in 2006. Egypt views the Islamist organization Hamas as a terrorist organization.

In summary
Relationships within the region are still strained by the continuous conflict, which also claims a large number of lives—both civilian and military. As each side continues to take the same stance and behave in the same ways, the situation is still quite unstable. As the situation changes, follow us for updates to learn more.