The American newspaper “The New York Times” revealed secret negotiations between Israel and Egypt regarding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Philadelphia axis on the border between Gaza and Egypt, as part of the truce arrangements with the Hamas movement.
A Western diplomat and Israeli officials confirmed to the newspaper that the discussions included proposals for a possible withdrawal, which would be part of a broader agreement to stop hostilities.
The Israeli side, represented by senior envoys, expressed its readiness to withdraw, provided that Egypt commits to strengthening security measures on the border to prevent weapons smuggling.
The proposed measures include installing advanced technologies such as electronic sensors to detect any attempts to dig tunnels, as well as creating underground barriers to prevent such actions.
This step is considered essential to facilitate the truce process with Hamas, which considers Israeli withdrawal a basic condition for agreeing to a ceasefire.
Neither Israel nor Egypt have yet officially confirmed the existence of these talks, which adds an element of ambiguity to the results of these diplomatic efforts.
It should be noted that the Israeli army took control of the southern border of Gaza, including the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphia axis, during the months of May and June, which led to tense relations with Egypt, which warned that these operations threatened Egyptian national security.
Israel offers to build an underground barrier on the Gaza border with Egypt