Egypt warns Israel that attempt to take over ‘Philadelphi Route’ will damage ties

CAIRO — Egypt warns Israel that any attempt to seize security control of the strip of land that separates Gaza and Egypt will result in a “serious threat” to relations between the neighboring countries.

The Philadelphi corridor is a 14 kilometer (nine-mile) long slice of land on Egypt-Gaza border. Israeli leaders have talked about taking control of the corridor to prevent possible weapons smuggling into Gaza. Egypt fears that a military operation on the border could push large numbers of Palestinians onto its territory.

“It must be strictly emphasized that any Israeli move in this direction will lead to a serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations,” Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt’s State Information Service, says in an online statement.

Rashwan says Gaza’s western border is secure and that Israeli claims that weapons were being smuggled from Egypt into Gaza are false.