'Israel' lied about Philadelphi Corridor tunnel for military gains

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli Media
Today 20:24
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An Israeli report revealed that what was previously portrayed as a sophisticated underground tunnel was, in fact, a shallow channel barely covered with soil.

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The tunnel that was falsely claimed to have been a sophisticated underground military structure in Philadelphi, Gaza, occupied Palestine, undated (Social media)

A new investigative report aired on Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 has cast doubt on the narrative surrounding an alleged tunnel under the Philadelphi Corridor, suggesting the widely circulated image was misrepresented to the Israeli public.

Image misrepresented as deep tunnel

The opening episode of the latest season of "Zman Emet" (Time of Truth) revealed that what was previously portrayed as a sophisticated underground tunnel was, in fact, a shallow channel barely covered with soil.

The investigation, led by journalist Avi Amit, indicated that the feature shown in the image lies just about one meter below the surface.

Contrary to public claims that the structure constituted a deep underground threat, the report asserts it was nothing more than a rudimentary passageway.

“This is not 20 or 30 meters underground,” said former Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant, who spoke during the episode. “It’s just a meter below the surface. It’s like a channel you drive under sometimes, beneath a highway.”

Strategic exaggeration aimed at delay

The investigation suggested that the misrepresentation of the image was not coincidental. According to the program, the image was deliberately framed to overstate the strategic significance of the Philadelphi Corridor, a sensitive area along the Egypt-Gaza border, and influence public perception.

The report further claims that this distortion may have been intended to justify a delay in the ongoing negotiations for a captives deal. “Someone took a picture, it created a media storm, but ultimately, they didn’t cross under the Philadelphi axis,” Gallant added.

The Philadelphi Corridor has been a flashpoint in Israeli military discourse, particularly amid discussions about potential ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreements.

Continued occupation of Philadelphi

In September 2024, Hamas emphasized that any agreement with the occupation must include a cessation of aggression, a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi Corridor and Rafah crossing, along with the return of displaced people to their homes without restriction.

Additionally, the agreement should provide relief for the Palestinian people, facilitate reconstruction, and include an exchange deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously informed senior officials in the negotiating team with the Palestinian Resistance in August that, if it came down to a choice between retaining Israeli control over the Philadelphi Corridor or returning the captives, he "prefers the Philadelphi Corridor at this time," according to Israeli Channel 12.

'Buffer zone'

Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz said in February that the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border would remain a “buffer zone,” signaling that the Israeli occupation would not comply with its scheduled withdrawal under the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with Hamas before it was entirely annulled by the Israeli regime.

"The Philadelphi Corridor will remain a buffer zone just like [Israel's borders with] Lebanon and Syria," Katz said in statements carried by Israeli Channel 12.

Under the agreement, the Israelis were set to begin withdrawing from the 14-kilometer (8.69-mile) corridor on Saturday. However, an Israeli official confirmed that Tel Aviv had no intention of doing so.

"We will not leave the Philadelphi Corridor," the public broadcaster KAN quoted the official as saying, adding that the Israeli regime would not allow Hamas "to again roam our borders with pickup trucks and guns, and we will not allow them to rearm through smuggling."

The Israeli military seized control of the corridor during its ongoing war on Gaza, which has killed more than 48,300 people, mostly women and children, and left the blockaded strip in ruins.