Egypt demands complete Israeli withdrawal from Philadelphi Corridor and Rafah crossing

Egypt has demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border as well as from the Rafah border crossing, Israel Hayom has reported.

The newspaper said that Cairo reiterated its demand during a meeting between senior US officials and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi attended by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, National Security Coordinator for the US President Brett McGurk, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, and Egyptian Intelligence Chief Hassan Rashad.

According to the daily, Egypt has explicitly demanded the handover of the Rafah border crossing’s management to a Palestinian entity accepted by Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. The future of the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah border are key issues in the Gaza ceasefire-prisoner swap indirect talks between Israel and Hamas.

A 2005 agreement insisted that management of the Rafah border crossing requires the existence of a Palestinian entity agreed upon and accepted by both Egypt and Israel and which operates under international supervision from the European Union.

Hamas and Fatah, which controls the Palestinian Authority, have in recent days discussed transferring the transitional phase to the PA. Moreover, Hamas has said recently that it is open to any serious initiative for a ceasefire that guarantees the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza, the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army and allowing aid into Gaza.

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