Egypt has called for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border and from the Rafah border crossing, according to reports from Israel Hayom.
The demand was reiterated during a meeting in Cairo between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and senior US officials, including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Coordinator Brett McGurk. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Intelligence Chief Hassan Rashad also attended the discussions.
Cairo insisted on transferring management of the Rafah border crossing to a Palestinian entity acceptable to Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Hamas. The future of the Philadelphi Corridor and Rafah border crossing remains a focal point in indirect ceasefire and prisoner swap negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Under a 2005 agreement, the Rafah border crossing was to be managed by a Palestinian entity agreed upon by Egypt and Israel, operating under international supervision from the European Union.
In recent talks, Hamas and Fatah—leaders of the Palestinian Authority—have discussed a potential transitional transfer of authority to the PA. Hamas has also expressed openness to ceasefire initiatives that ensure the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
