'Israel' eyeing military plans to isolate Gaza from Egypt by land

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Wall Street Journal + Israeli media
13 Jan 2024 22:15
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The Israeli occupation entity is mulling launching a ground offensive on the Philadelphi Route to cut Gaza off of Egypt.

A photo shows a view of the wall on Egypt's eastern border with the Gaza Strip, in Rafah, on December 11, 2023 (AFP)

The Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the option of a ground offensive to isolate Gaza from Egypt is on the table, claiming that no definitive decision has been made yet.

Netanyahu's remarks were regarding what is known as the Philadelphi Route or Corridor, a region extending between the Gaza-Egypt border. It spans 14 km from the Israeli-controlled Karam Abu Salem crossing, linking Gaza and occupied territories, to the southernmost point on the Strip's coast.

The route was established as a buffer zone between "Israel" and Egypt in a 1979 treaty. Before the Strip was liberated in 2005, it was under the control of Israeli occupation forces.

Speaking to reporters, Netanyahu stated that one of the aims of the war on the Strip was to separate the Strip from its neighboring Arab country, as a means to prevent the Resistance from developing its capabilities and accumulating a weapon arsenal allegedly delivered via Egpty.

While the Prime Minister said the option is still being looked into, a Wall Street Journal report published on Saturday cited Israeli officials as confirming that the occupation entity has already informed Cairo that a military attack is being planned to take control over the corridor.

In a report last week, WSJ said "Israel" had proposed to Egypt installing sensors in the Philadelphi Route, but Cairo rejected it.

As per the current Israeli plan, Palestinian officials will be removed from crossing checkpoints, and Israeli forces will be deployed along the entire border. But a final decision has not been reached, the sources said.

A senior Israeli military official told the newspaper that the entity needs to control all access points to Gaza for the "next few decades" to stop the Resistance from growing in power.

This comes as "Israel" has imposed an almost complete blockade on Gaza for nearly 100 days, which has resulted in famine in several of the Strip's regions, the spreading of infectious diseases, and a large number of deaths among the wounded and patients due to the lack of medicine.

Last week, an Egyptian official denied any cooperation between Egypt and the Israeli occupation about the Philadelphi Corridor, Al-Qahera reported.

Citing the official, the outlet said media reports discussing such cooperation are unfounded.

Initially, the occupation entity had intended to utilize its presence in the Philadelphi region to prevent the transfer of materials and goods into Gaza, but intricate tunnel systems eventually deemed it an ineffective method.

The Israeli Ynet news website has previously revealed that Israeli Security Minister Yoav Galant had proposed a plan to the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, aimed at constructing a US-funded underground wall throughout the corridor to completely separate Gaza from Egypt, even through tunnels.

According to the Israeli Army Radio, such a plan would be implemented after the Israeli occupation concludes what has come to be known as "high-intensity operations".

Furthermore, the Israeli outlet, i24News, said that "Israel fears the presence of tunnels in the Palestinian area east Rafah, which is considered an extension of the Philadelphi Route."