Driving the news:
Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Sunday that the Israeli army closed the Philadelphi Corridor — which stretches from the Mediterranean coast to the Kerem Shalom crossing — as part of what it described as its "ongoing search for the remains of Israeli captives".
Why it matters:
The corridor, which separates Egypt from the Gaza Strip, holds significant strategic value. It effectively divides northern and southern Gaza, and Israeli control over it could solidify its long-term presence in the enclave, obstructing the movement of people and goods between Gaza’s two halves.
The big picture:
Observers say Israel’s insistence on maintaining control of the Philadelphi Corridor signals its intentions to resume settlement expansion and assert a permanent influence over Gaza.
What they are saying:
Retired Egyptian Major General Ali Hefzy, former aide to Egypt’s Defense Minister, told Al Arabiya that the corridor “is a Palestinian buffer zone between Egypt and Gaza,” stressing that “the Egyptian Armed Forces provide strong security for the country’s borders, and no Israeli force can approach it, because that is a red line.”
Hefzy added that the corridor is 14 kilometers long, and, according to the agreements, it permits the deployment of limited and specific forces on both sides to conduct patrols aimed at preventing smuggling, infiltration, and other illicit activities.
He further explained that the accords “allow for the presence of limited Israeli military personnel and UN observers, but explicitly prohibit the use of tanks, artillery, or missile systems.
Go deeper:
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