In a narrow strip of land composed of shrubs and sand dunes adjacent to the border with Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor (also translated as the Philadelphia Corridor), has become a major obstacle in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations and the negotiation to rescue Israeli hostages.
The Philadelphi Corridor is an 8.6-mile stretch of land, with some areas as narrow as 100 yards, located on the border between Gaza and Egypt, including the Rafah Border Crossing. Before the Israeli forces occupied the entire corridor in May, the Rafah Border Crossing was Gaza’s only non-Israeli controlled external exit.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel must maintain control over the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent Hamas from continuing to replenish arms through the underground smuggling tunnels in the area, ensuring that Hamas cannot launch the kind of terror attacks against Israel, like the one on October 7th of last year that resulted in a full-scale war between Israel and Hamas.
However, many Israelis, including Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, believe that Israel should abandon the corridor, at least temporarily, to reach an agreement that would bring back around 100 hostages still being held in Gaza, with about a third believed to have died.
Last weekend, Israel found the bodies of six hostages, with the military stating that Hamas killed them as Israeli forces advanced. Criticism over the Philadelphi Corridor dispute has escalated, with critics suggesting that the hostages could have been returned alive according to the ceasefire agreement, blaming Netanyahu for jeopardizing the ceasefire talks for his own political gain.
Hamas insists on Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza and claims that Netanyahu only recently demanded to occupy the Philadelphi Corridor to sabotage the negotiations.
Netanyahu attributes the failure to reach an agreement to Hamas, asserting that Israel’s claim over the corridor has been longstanding and not sudden.
Israel asserts that Hamas uses the vast underground tunnel network beneath the border to import weapons, enabling them to build up their military machine deployed on October 7th last year. The Israeli military says that since taking control of the corridor, they have discovered and destroyed dozens of tunnels.
During a press conference on Monday, Netanyahu pointed to a map illustrating the flow of weapons into Gaza from the other side of the border, stating that the corridor provides Hamas with “oxygen.”
Egypt has been a crucial mediator between Israel and Hamas, opposing any Israeli presence on its border with Gaza, fearing it would threaten the decades-long peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, which it considers a cornerstone of regional stability.
On Tuesday, Egypt issued a statement refuting Netanyahu’s accusations, alleging that he misled the Israeli public and obstructed ceasefire efforts.
Egypt stated that it destroyed hundreds of tunnels on its side of the border years ago and established its own military buffer zone to prevent smuggling.
Israeli media, citing unnamed security officials, have been criticizing Netanyahu, arguing that the corridor is not crucial for Israel’s security and should not hinder the return of hostages. Some suggest patrolling the border with an international force, or utilizing Israel’s remote sensors.
According to an unnamed Israeli official, at a recent security cabinet meeting, Gallant accused Netanyahu of overly emphasizing border security over the lives of the hostages. Gallant was the sole dissenting vote in the subsequent vote on maintaining control over the corridor, urging the government to change the voting result.
Prior to this, hostage families have been staging large-scale protests for months, urging Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas to return their loved ones. Following the killings of six hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, the largest protests erupted last weekend.
Netanyahu’s supporters argue that relinquishing the Philadelphi Corridor now would be rewarding Hamas for the killings of the hostages. They insist that only through strong military pressure can Hamas be defeated, hostages returned, and a long-term security agreement for Israel be achieved.
Palestinians generally believe that any Israeli presence in Gaza constitutes military occupation and may perpetuate ongoing conflicts.
Since Hamas seized power from the rival Palestinian faction Fatah in 2007, Egypt and Israel have implemented varying degrees of blockade on Gaza, with the Rafah Border Crossing being Gaza’s lifeline.
For 16 years, this has been the sole passage for most Palestinians entering and exiting Gaza. During the first seven months of the conflict, it was also the primary entry point for medical evacuations and much-needed humanitarian aid.
Israel occupied Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War, with Palestinians hoping to establish their own state on these territories. In 2005, Israel withdrew soldiers and settlers from Gaza but continued to control its airspace, coastline, and all border crossings except Rafah.
Hamas vehemently opposes any Israeli presence in Gaza, including in the Philadelphi Corridor and the Erez Crossing (the buffer zone separating northern and southern Gaza established by Israel).
Israel maintains that it needs the corridor to search Palestinians returning to their northern homes to prevent Hamas militants from infiltrating.
Israel denies that their demands regarding the two corridors are recent, stating that their requests “clarify” what President Joe Biden agreed to in his May 31st speech and the earlier proposal approved by the UN Security Council.
Israel accuses Hamas of making unacceptable demands after that agreement and claims that the radical organization is obstructing the agreement by resorting to killing Israeli hostages.
Both Biden’s speech and the Security Council resolution mentioned Israel’s full withdrawal. Egypt officials and Hamas claim that Israel’s demands regarding the Philadelphi Corridor were not included in subsequent versions of the US-supported suggestions and were not part of the version Hamas accepted in early July.
Egypt staunchly opposes any military presence by Israel on Gaza’s border and refuses to reopen the Rafah Crossing on its side unless Gaza returns control to the Palestinians.
Egypt accuses Israel of violating the landmark 1979 Peace Accord’s annex concerning Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, which stipulates regulations on deploying troops along the border.
While the US provides significant military support to Israel, it also acts as a mediator, but has not publicly commented on the Philadelphi Corridor issue.
President Biden stated on Monday that Netanyahu’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire have fallen short, but did not provide detailed feedback.
(This article referenced reports from the Associated Press)