Israel’s New Gaza Plan: Exploring the Philadelphia Corridor
Israeli Forces Enter Eastern Part of Rafah City, Clashes Reported
The Israeli Prime Minister has brought attention to recent reports of Israeli forces entering the eastern part of Rafah city on the Egyptian border. Eyewitnesses have reported approximately 24 vehicles, including tanks, personnel transport vehicles, and construction equipment, moving a few meters towards the eastern border of Rafah city.
The Philadelphia Corridor, also known as the “Salahaddin Corridor”, has been a point of contention in the recent conflict. This strip, several hundred meters wide and 14 kilometers long, extends from the Mediterranean coast between Egypt and the Gaza Strip to the Kerem Abu Salim Border Gate. It was established with a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt in 1979 as a buffer zone controlled and patrolled by Israeli forces.
However, after Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the region fell under the control of the Palestinian administration. When Hamas came to power in Gaza in 2007, they also took control of the Philadelphia Corridor. As Israel increased its blockade of Gaza, Palestinians had to cross this border strip to meet their basic needs from Egypt, leading to increased security measures by Egypt.
The recent move by the Israeli army towards the Philadelphia Corridor has raised concerns about separating Gaza from Egypt and the Sinai desert. An analysis published on the Israeli channel “I24NEWS” has noted that Israel aims to maximize security on the southern border and prevent it from becoming a crossing point to provide weapons to Palestinian groups.
The situation in the region continues to develop, and the international community is closely monitoring the events unfolding in the Philadelphia Corridor.
