Israeli attempt to control Egypt-Gaza border 'unacceptable': Egyptian official

Cairo, Jan 31 (IANS) Any Israeli attempt to control the Philadelphi Corridor along the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is "unacceptable," an Egyptian high-ranking official said.

"No new arrangements have been discussed with Israel regarding the Philadelphi Corridor on the border, and any Israeli unilateral moves in this regard are unacceptable," the unnamed Egyptian official was quoted on Tuesday as saying by Egypt's Al-Qahera News TV.

The remarks came a week after Diaa Rashwan, the chairman of Egypt's State Information Service, warned that Israel's retaking control of the Philadelphi Corridor would violate its 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Philadelphi Corridor is a 100-metre wide, 14-km-long buffer zone along the Egypt-Gaza border.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently expressed his desire to retake control of the corridor to ensure future demilitarisation of Gaza and prevent the alleged smuggling of weapons into Gaza through border tunnels.

Rashwan also denied last week the Israeli claims about the weapon smuggling from Egypt to Gaza.

The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza has been a major lifeline to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in the war-ravaged enclave, which has witnessed relentless Israeli bombings and a massive military offensive since October 7 last year.

The Israeli attacks in Gaza have so far killed 26,751 Palestinians and wounded 65,636 others, according to data released by Gaza's Health Ministry on Tuesday.