According to a report on Egyptian television, progress made in the give-and-take negotiations for the hostage deal in Cairo is stuck on the clause regarding the withdrawal of IDF forces from Rafah Crossing and the Philadelphia Corridor.
On Monday, IDF forces reached the sea at Rafah, thereby capturing the entire Philadelphia Corridor. The forces destroyed a large tunnel in Rafah, spanning three levels, which connected Egypt and southern Gaza and contained vast quantities of equipment, weapons, and combat supplies. The military was surprised to discover such an extensive and sophisticated tunnel network in the Egyptian area. Reports from Gaza indicate continuous construction of the corridor, and the whereabouts of the Egyptian military in the story and why it is not responding remain unclear.
It is worth noting that upon disengagement from the Gaza Strip 19 years ago, Israel officially abandoned the corridor it had controlled until then. Now, Israel has once again captured the corridor.
