Israel will not withdraw its forces from the Gaza-Egypt border, despite previous plans to do so, an Israeli source has confirmed. The military had been expected to begin withdrawing from the area in early March if the current ceasefire, set to expire on Saturday, were extended.
However, a message shared with Israeli media on Thursday and obtained by CNN revealed that Israel intends to maintain its hold on the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategic 14-kilometre strip along the Gaza-Egypt border.
“We will not exit the Philadelphi Corridor,” the message stated, adding, “We will not allow Hamas murderers to roam again with trucks and rifles on our borders, and we will not let them strengthen themselves again through smuggling.”
The Israeli military seized control of the corridor in May and was set to withdraw from it as part of a potential second phase of the truce agreement. However, it remains unclear whether negotiations for that phase have begun.