Egypt Favors Arab International Peacekeeping Force Along Philadelphi Corridor, Report

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – While Israel now controversially asserts it must occupy the Philadelphi Corridor in southern Gaza to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons through it from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Egypt is reportedly in favor of deploying international Arab peacekeeping troops along this narrow stretch of land that runs alongside its border with Palestinian enclave, i24News reports.

The Philadelphi Corrider is of logistical importance as it incorporates the key Rafah border crossing which allowed some movement of Palestinians and the entry of essential humanitarian aid amid the military blockade imposed on Gaza by Israel and Egypt: imposed in 2007, the stated aim of the blockade was to prevent weapons being smuggled to Hamas.

Control of the Philadelphi Corridor has recently become a major sticking point in negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.

According to a report in the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed Arab language news outlet on Thursday (September 12), Egypt is considering a solution whereby neither Israel nor Hamas controls the Corridor but international Arab forces are deployed to monitor it.

Moreover, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Mauritania, and Djibouti are reportedly discussing the possibility of deploying troops as peacekeeping forces along the Netzarim Corridor which runs down the middle of Gaza from north to south, i24News said.

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