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Securing the Philadelphi Corridor: A Strategic Imperative for Israel
Israeli soldiers operate at the opening to a tunnel at Al Shifa Hospital compound in Gaza City, amid the ongoing ground operation of the Israeli army against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in the Gaza Strip, November 22, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo
JNS.org – Despite Egypt’s denial of the existence of smuggling tunnels beneath it, security officials believe that the Philadelphi Corridor serves as the primary route for weapons bound for Hamas.
Both Egypt and Hamas vehemently oppose Israel’s control over the corridor, an 8.7 mile buffer running the length of the Israel-Egypt border established by the 1979 peace treaty between the two nations.
Control of the corridor would effectively sever the Gaza Strip’s only land connection to Egypt, potentially blocking subterranean movement between the two regions.
Control of the corridor translates to dominance over the Rafah crossing, the sole border crossing linking the Gaza Strip to the Arab world and crucial for the international travel of senior Hamas officials.
While Israel possesses intelligence on these tunnels, Egypt persists in denying their existence, claiming to have destroyed them years ago. Recent requests by Israel to have Egyptian military units relocate away from the Gaza border have been rebuffed.
Currently, the Israel Defense Forces oversees the northern and eastern borders and western coast of the Gaza Strip.
Gaining control of the southern border would complete the encirclement of the Gaza Strip, a strategic move with implications for the demilitarization of the region after the conflict.
Hamas heavily relies on the corridor for weapons smuggling. Even with IDF control, the corridor is expected to remain a constant target for terrorist attacks.
Reports from Gaza indicate that IDF forces attempted advances toward the corridor on Dec. 23, 2023, but were repelled by Hamas. The Israeli Air Force also targeted Hamas positions along the corridor.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly declared Israel’s intention to assert control over the Philadelphi Corridor. Israel appears resolute in this decision, emphasizing its commitment to encircle the Gaza Strip completely.
Despite Egypt’s opposition, it is anticipated that the country will eventually have to acquiesce to Israel’s position, particularly given the extensive weapons smuggling carried out by Hamas through the corridor in recent years.
The security protocol between the two nations stipulates that Egypt secure the corridor with a force of 750 soldiers equipped to combat terrorism and smuggling—a task Cairo seems to have failed at in recent years.
Originally published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
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Israeli Strike on Tehran Kills Bodyguard of Slain Hezbollah Chief
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi lays a wreath as he visits the burial site of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon, June 3, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
A member of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah was killed in an Israeli air strike on Tehran alongside a member of an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group, a senior Lebanese security source told Reuters and the Iraqi group said on Saturday.
The source identified the Hezbollah member as Abu Ali Khalil, who had served as a bodyguard for Hezbollah’s slain chief Hassan Nasrallah. The source said Khalil had been on a religious pilgrimage to Iraq when he met up with a member of the Kataeb Sayyed Al-Shuhada group.
They traveled together to Tehran and were both killed in an Israeli strike there, along with Khalil’s son, the senior security source said. Hezbollah has not joined in Iran’s air strikes against Israel from Lebanon.
Kataeb Sayyed Al-Shuhada published a statement confirming that both the head of its security unit and Khalil had been killed in an Israeli strike.
Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli aerial attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs in September.
Israel and Iran have been trading strikes for nine consecutive days since Israel launched attacks on Iran, saying Tehran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran has said it does not seek nuclear weapons.
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Hamas Financial Officer and Commander Eliminated by IDF in the Gaza Strip
Israeli soldiers operate during a ground operation in the southern Gaza Strip, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, July 3, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), in cooperation with the General Security Service (Shin Bet), announced on Friday the killing of Ibrahim Abu Shamala, a senior financial official in Hamas’ military wing.
The operation took place on June 17th in the central Gaza Strip.
Abu Shamala held several key positions, including financial officer for Hamas’ military wing and assistant to Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of Hamas’ military wing until his elimination in March 2024.
He was responsible for managing all the financial resources of Hamas’ military wing in Gaza, overseeing the planning and execution of the group’s war budget. This involved handling and smuggling millions of dollars into the Gaza Strip to fund Hamas’ military operations.
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Report: Wary of Assassination by Israel, Khamenei Names 3 Potential Successors
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, May 20, 2025. Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
i24 News – Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei named three senior clerics as candidates to succeed him should he be killed, the New York Times reported on Saturday citing unnamed Iranian officials. It is understood the Ayatollah fears he could be assassinated in the coming days.
Khamenei reportedly mostly speaks with his commanders through a trusted aide now, suspending electronic communications.
Khamenei has designated three senior religious figures as candidates to replace him as well as choosing successors in the military chain of command in the likely event that additional senior officials be eliminated.
Earlier on Saturday Israel confirmed the elimination of Saeed Izadi and Bhanam Shahriari.
Shahriari, head of Iran’s Quds Force Weapons Transfer Unit, responsible for arming Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, was killed in an Israeli airstrike over 1,000 km from Israel in western Iran.
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