The Philadelphi Corridor runs along the Gaza-Egypt border and was Hamas’ strategic lifeline for 17 years. The tunnels built below the Corridor, some large enough for trucks to enter, were a smuggling highway to Hamas — allowing weapons and money to flow to the terror group.
The Philadelphi Corridor is the buffer zone along the Egypt-Gaza border.
The Corridor was originally established under the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty as a 100-meter-wide buffer zone. The zone was later expanded beginning during the Second Intifada to be several hundred meters wide. It covers the entire 8.7-mile-long border. The Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza is within the Philadelphi Corridor. In 2005, as part of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, Egypt and Israel signed an agreement by which Egypt would secure the border between Egypt and Gaza to prevent the smuggling of weapons into the Strip. Egypt maintains a one-kilometer-wide buffer zone on its side of the border, with plans to expand it.
The Philadelphi Corridor is the primary way that Hamas has smuggled advanced weapons and ammunition into Gaza.
Through tunnels and border smuggling, Hamas has used the Philadelphi Corridor to transfer weapons, supplies, and operatives into and out of Gaza. Despite past Egyptian efforts to prevent smuggling, Hamas has continued to do so, building a massive and advanced military arsenal. In 2009, the U.S. and Israel agreed to a memorandum of understanding “to prevent the supply of arms and related materiel to terrorist organizations that threaten either party, with a particular focus on the supply of arms, related mate riel and explosives into Gaza to Hamas and other terrorist organizations.” Whether Israel maintains a presence in the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent continued smuggling is one of the outstanding issues in the ceasefire-hostage negotiations.
Through tunnels and border smuggling, Hamas has used the Philadelphi Corridor to transfer weapons, supplies, and operatives into and out of Gaza. Despite past Egyptian efforts to prevent smuggling, Hamas has continued to do so, building a massive and advanced military arsenal. In 2009, the U.S. and Israel agreed to a memorandum of understanding “to prevent the supply of arms and related materiel to terrorist organizations that threaten either party, with a particular focus on the supply of arms, related mate riel and explosives into Gaza to Hamas and other terrorist organizations.” Whether Israel maintains a presence in the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent continued smuggling is one of the outstanding issues in the ceasefire-hostage negotiations.
The IDF is still uncovering smuggling tunnels and Hamas weapons within the Philadelphi Corridor.
In late May, Israel took control of the Corridor, which was a “lifeline” for Hamas, according to IDF Spokesperson Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari. The IDF “located dozens of launchers along the Corridor, loaded and ready to fire rockets, and launch pits from which Hamas fired rockets and mortars into Israeli territory.” Hagari added, “Hamas exploited the Philadelphi Corridor, using it to build this infrastructure just dozens of meters from the border with Egypt so that we would not strike them.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on August 21 that more than 150 tunnels have been demolished so far along the Philadelphi Corridor. Earlier in August, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “[Hamas] demands that we withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing — its lifelines — which would allow it to rearm and rebuild its strength. It is important to set out the principle: We are not leaving from there.” (Source)
In late May, Israel took control of the Corridor, which was a “lifeline” for Hamas, according to IDF Spokesperson Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari. The IDF “located dozens of launchers along the Corridor, loaded and ready to fire rockets, and launch pits from which Hamas fired rockets and mortars into Israeli territory.” Hagari added, “Hamas exploited the Philadelphi Corridor, using it to build this infrastructure just dozens of meters from the border with Egypt so that we would not strike them.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on August 21 that more than 150 tunnels have been demolished so far along the Philadelphi Corridor. Earlier in August, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “[Hamas] demands that we withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing — its lifelines — which would allow it to rearm and rebuild its strength. It is important to set out the principle: We are not leaving from there.” (Source)
