Gaza talks eye alternatives to Israeli troops on Egypt Border: Reuters
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Negotiations are currently taking place to reach a ceasefire agreement that would pause the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has been ongoing for 10 months and resulted in over 38,000 Palestinian martyrs.
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Ambulances with Palestinians injured in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip arrive at the Rafah border crossing to Egypt on November 1, 2023. (AP)
Israeli and Egyptian ceasefire negotiators are discussing the implementation of an electronic surveillance system along the Gaza-Egypt border, which could allow "Israel" to withdraw its troops if a ceasefire is agreed upon, two Egyptian sources and a third source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
The issue of Israeli troops occupying the Rafah crossing is a major obstacle to reaching a ceasefire deal. On this matter, a senior Resistance source conveyed to Al Mayadeen on Tuesday that “Israel” says it rejects any Hamas sovereignty over the Rafah crossing and eyes a new administration to handle it.
It is also worth noting that the Palestinian resistance factions, and Egypt, which is mediating the talks, oppose the presence of Israeli occupation forces at the Rafah crossing.
A surveillance system on the border!
While discussions about a surveillance system on the border have been previously reported, Reuters is now claiming that "Israel" is actively participating in these talks in the current round, aiming to withdraw its forces from the border area.
The source, knowledgeable about the situation, told Reuters that the discussions focus on "basically sensors that would be built on the Egyptian side of the Philadelphi (corridor)."
"The idea is obviously to detect tunnels, to detect any other ways that they'd be trying to smuggle weapons or people into Gaza. Obviously, this would be a significant element in a hostage agreement," the source stressed.
When asked if this would be crucial for a ceasefire agreement, the source confirmed, "Correct."
The two Egyptian security sources, who also requested anonymity, affirmed to Reuters that Israeli negotiators had discussed a high-tech surveillance system.
In further detail, the two Egyptian sources told Reuters that Cairo would support the surveillance system if funded and endorsed by the United States. However, Egypt would not agree to any changes in the border arrangements between "Israel" and Egypt, established by a previous peace treaty.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he could only agree to a deal that maintains Israeli control over the Gaza-Egypt border, without specifying whether this would involve having troops physically present there.
Meanwhile, negotiations are ongoing in Qatar and Egypt to secure a pause in the Israeli ongoing genocide against Palestinians, which has been ongoing for 10 months and has so far killed over 38,000 Palestinians.
What is the Philadelphia Axis?
The Philadelphia Axis is a region that extends from the Israeli-controlled Karem Abu Salem crossing, linking the Gaza Strip and occupied territories, to the southernmost point on the Gaza Strip's coast.
Also known as the Philadelphi Route, the 14 km narrow strip of land separates Palestine from Egypt and was established as a "buffer zone" between "Israel" and Egypt in a 1979 treaty. Before the Strip was liberated in 2005, the Axis was under the control of Israeli occupation forces.
Initially, the Israeli occupation had intended to utilize its presence in the region as a method to prevent the transfer of materials and goods into the Gaza Strip, however, intricate tunnel systems eventually deemed it an ineffective method. As the occupation withdrew from the Gaza Strip, it concluded the Philadelphia Accord with Egypt, in which 750 Egyptian troops were allowed to be positioned alongside the border under the title of "maintaining security."
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