Israel's military said Wednesday it seized control of a strategic corridor along Gaza's border with Egypt to cut off smuggling tunnels. The capture of the Philadelphi Corridor could complicate Israel's relations with Egypt, which has previously complained about Israel's advance toward its border, the AP reports. Israel says the corridor is awash in tunnels that have funneled weapons and other goods for Hamas—even under a yearslong blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt.
- "The Philadelphi Corridor served as the oxygen line of Hamas through which Hamas carried out weapons smuggling into Gaza on a regular basis," said the military's spokesperson.
- Egypt has said that any increase in troops in the strategic corridor would violate the countries' 1979 peace accord. It has already complained about Israel taking over the Rafah border crossing, the only crossing between Gaza and Egypt.