Egypt rejects Israeli military presence in Philadelphi Corridor

Egypt has firmly stated that it will not accept the presence of Israeli military forces in the Philadelphi Corridor, the border area between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

An unnamed senior Egyptian official conveyed this position to Israeli media, emphasizing that this stance has been consistent throughout the negotiations and remains unchanged, Caliber.Az reports.

The official declined to comment on the possibility of installing Israeli surveillance equipment in the corridor. They also highlighted that Egyptian security forces have already flooded or filled most of the smuggling tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border, which were previously used for weapons, goods, and spare parts. Despite Israeli claims that some tunnels remain open, Cairo insists it will not tolerate Israeli military involvement in the area.

The official suggested that future monitoring of the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah crossing could involve Palestinian authorities, Arab forces from Jordan and the Gulf states, and European observers, but noted that discussions about Hamas's involvement are not currently being considered.

Additionally, the official mentioned that during talks in Cairo, CIA Director William Burns requested that details of the consultations remain confidential. The Egyptian official remarked that while the U.S. has made optimistic statements about the negotiation process, significant issues continue to hinder an agreement on Gaza.