JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said Wednesday it has seized control of a strategic corridor that runs along the length of Gaza’s border with Egypt. The military had no further immediate details.
Known as the Philadelphi Corridor, the narrow strip is about 100 yards wide in parts and runs the 8.6-mile length of the Gaza side of the border with Egypt. It includes the Rafah crossing into Egypt.
Smuggling tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip have been dug under the area.
The corridor is part of a larger demilitarized zone along both sides of the entire Israel-Egypt border.
Under the Egyptian-Israeli peace accord, each side is allowed to deploy only a tiny number of troops or border guards in the zone. At the time of the accord, Israeli troops controlled Gaza, until Israel withdrew its forces and settlers in 2005. Hamas has had free rein of the border since its 2007 takeover.
