Israeli refusing withdrawal from the narrow strip of the desert could jeopardize a truce

Israeli refusal to withdraw from the narrow strip of the desert on the Gaza side of the border with Egypt, as she called into recircciliaries with Hamas, could further threaten the fragile truce.

Israeli officer said Thursday In order for Israeli forces to remain in the so-called Philadelphi corridor to prevent weapons smuggling. Official spoke about the state of anonymity in accordance with the regulations.

Beneath Fire interruption agreement Reach last month, Israel should have started to retreat on Saturday and finish pulling within eight days. Hamas said he would try to preserve the hallway as a clipboard, would be a “rude violation” of the fire breaks.

There was no immediate comments from Egypt, a key intermediary that also opposes any Israeli presence on Gaza on the border side.

Saturday is the final day of the first phase of the ceasefire. Negotiations have yet to start in the second and severe phase in which Hamas release dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for permanent truce. War could continue if no agreement is reached.

Here look at Philadelphi corridor and why Las has long been a source of tension.

Philadelphi The hallway is an empty trail – in some places only 100 meters) in some places – which leads 14 kilometers (8.6 miles) of the length of the treasure border with Egypt.

Contains rafah that exceeds, which was the tread of the only output of the outdoor world that does not control Israel to the Israeli Army He took the entire hallway last May.

At the September news conferenceIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas used the tunnels under the border for the import of weapons and tried to renew the military machine he had singled out on Israel in him 7, 2023. Attack that initiated war.

However, the Israeli media reported in September that the tunnels were not used for years. Israeli news Haaretz, referring to military officers, said the Israeli troops were running under Philadelphi corridor, because in 2013 it was sealed from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi and launched a campaign for destroying the tunnel.

It was said that the military believes that most weapons in Gaza produced locally, using some materials smuggled through the transition of Rafa and in a nearby Kerem Shala crossing, which controls Israel. that tunnels were not used for years. Israeli news Haaretz, referring to military officers, said the Israeli troops were running under Philadelphi corridor, because in 2013 it was sealed from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi and launched a campaign for destroying the tunnel.

It has said that the military believes that most weapons in Gaza produced locally, some using materials smuggled through the transition of Rafa and in the nearby Kerem Shala transition, which controls Israel.

Thursday. Israel Katz Israeli Minister said that he saw unblocked tunnels between Gaza and Egypt during the recent visit to the hallway, without providing evidence.

Egypt denied Israeli allegations, saying that he destroyed hundreds of tunnels on his side of counted years and set up a military buffer zone that prevents smuggling.

In January, Israel and Hamas agreed on the recirccilitary firest and phases to keep hostages, pauses 15 months of war.

Under the first phase of Hamas, he released 25 living hostages and returned the bodies eight more, in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians who were Izreel. Israeli forces withdraw from most areas and there was an increase in humanitarian aid.

In the second phase of Hamas, it was supposed to let the rest of the living hostages in exchange for more prisoners, full of Israeli withdrawal and permanent recircciliaric fire. The third phase would see the exchange of remains and the beginning of the frightening renewal of Gaza.

Negotiations on the second phase were supposed to begin early February, but only limited preparatory conversations have been held.

Netanyahu says that he remains committed to returning all the hostages and destroying the military and management skills of Hamas. These goals are probably incompatible, however, as Hamas still rules Gaza And he ordered his fighters to kill hostages if their rescue appears immediately.

The Trump Administration fully supported the Garments of Israel, but Miseast Enayon Steve Witkoff says he hopes to reach the second phase of the fire. It is expected to visit the region in the coming days.

Hamas does not oppose any lasting Israeli presence in Gaza, which would be widely seen as military occupation.

Israel captured Gaza, Western Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. in Midast War, the territory of the Palestinians want for their own country. He withdrew soldiers and settlements from Gaza in 2005. years, but continued to control the airspace territory, his coast and all his border crossings except Rafah.

The Israeli decision on the stay in the hallway could continue to cause relations with Egypt, the American Federal who served as a key mediator with Hamas. Egypt warned that it could undermine their Almost half a century-old Peace Agreement With Israel, the cornerstone of American influence in the region.

The United States did not take over the position over the corridor control, and US President Donald Trump did not say how it could understand that of his proposal for gauze approximately 2 million Palestinians to move to other countries So, now I can rearrange the territory as a tourist destination.

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The associated printing prints of the Simate Magdy in Cairo and Josef Federman in Jerusalem have contributed.

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