Watan-The military analyst and strategic expert Fayez al-Duwayri commented on reports discussing the start of an Israeli military operation inside the Gaza Strip along the border with Egypt, with the aim of occupying the Philadelphia Axis.

Al-Duwayri, during an interview with Al Jazeera, stated that the movement of the Israeli army towards the Philadelphia Axis aims to separate the Gaza Strip from the Sinai Desert and Egypt. However, he dismissed the likelihood of achieving this objective.

He pointed out that, after suffering strategic losses, the occupation is seeking to have absolute control over all crossing points leading to the Gaza Strip. He described the Israeli movement towards the Philadelphia Axis as “a dangerous matter.

Regarding the buffer zone that the occupation is seeking to establish in the Gaza Strip, al-Duwayri suggested that it would be from three directions: the northern front, along the length of the strip, and along the border with the Arab Republic of Egypt. Additionally, he mentioned an attempt by the occupation to position itself in the Gaza Valley to separate the northern part from the southern part.

Commencement of an Israeli military operation on the Egyptian border

Israeli media revealed that occupation tanks have initiated a ground operation from Karm Abu Salem to the Philadelphia Axis on the borders of the Gaza Strip with Egypt.

Despite this announcement supported by satellite images showing Israeli military movements on this front, Egyptian media affiliated with the regime denied these actions.

The occupation informs Egypt of its non-responsibility for the safety of its soldiers

In a related context, the Quds News Network reported, citing an informed source, that the occupation informed Egypt of its intention to occupy the border area in the Philadelphia Axis and requested Egyptian soldiers to evacuate the border.

According to the same source, the occupation informed Egypt that it is not responsible for the safety of any Egyptian soldier, and that the military operation in the area will continue whether Egypt accepts or rejects it.

The statements of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, made during a closed meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee in the Knesset and leaked by the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, revealed his government’s intention to control the Philadelphia Axis, which separates Gaza from the eastern Egyptian border.

What is the Philadelphia Axis?

The Philadelphia Axis extends between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, covering a length of 14 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Karm Abu Salem crossing in the south.

According to the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty of 1979, this axis was a demilitarized zone under Israeli control and supervision before the latter withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005 as part of the ‘Disengagement Plan.’

In the same year, Israel signed the ‘Philadelphia Protocol’ with Egypt, which did not annul or amend the peace agreement but restricted military presence for both sides in that area.

However, the protocol allowed Egypt to deploy 750 soldiers along the Gaza border, serving as a police force rather than a military force, tasked with combating terrorism and border infiltration.

After two years, Hamas took control of this complex corridor, which is only a few hundred meters wide, following its takeover of the Gaza Strip. Faced with tightening Israeli restrictions in Gaza, Palestinians began crossing this corridor and the border fence to reach the Egyptian side.

Since then, Egypt has tightened its security grip on this border strip.