‘This suggests Israel is not going to withdraw entirely from the Gaza strip any time soon.’
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Israeli forces laid asphalt on the Philadelphi corridor to send a message that it does not intend to withdraw.
Currently, the Philadelphi corridor on the border between Gaza and Egypt is a bone of contention in hostage negotiations, with Hamas demanding the IDF’s full withdrawal and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that controlling the area is vital for Israel’s security.
The BBC examined satellite imagery and video evidence that Israel is paving a road in the Philadelphi corridor.
Satellite images show the area was paved between August 26th and September 5th.
A video from September 4th shows construction work along the Philadelphi corridor, with machinery laying tarmac wide enough for two vehicles to pass through.
The Philadelphi corridor is the only Gaza border that Israel did not control during the October 7th massacre.
It is 12.6 km or 7.8 miles long and runs adjacent to the Egyptian border from the Kerem Shalom crossing to the Mediterranean Sea.
Israeli forces left the Philadelphi corridor in 2005 when it withdrew from Gaza and entered again on May 7th with armored personal carriers.
Dr Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, said, “Paving the road puts pressure on negotiators and mediators. The Israelis are trying to create a fait accompli.”
“It also suggests that Israel is not going to withdraw entirely from the Gaza strip any time soon,” he says.
Andreas also discussed a road built by the IDF in northern Gaza along the Netzarim Corridor.
“If you look at the investments made in the Netzarim Corridor, it’s clear they have no intention of withdrawing anytime soon; they’ve got concrete barriers, forward operating bases with towers and walls – you don’t build those if you’re planning on withdrawing,” he said.
Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed the need for Israel to control the Philadelphi corridor to prevent weapons smuggling that led to the massacre on October 7th.
Netanyahu described the Philadelphi corridor as a “lifeline” for Hamas and added, “You want to destroy Hamas’ military and governance capabilities, you can’t let Hamas rearm. So you have to control the corridor.”