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Egypt on Monday reiterated that it has not accepted an Israeli presence in the Rafah border crossing or Philadelphi Corridor, according to a report read more
 "Report")
The Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip is pictured from the Palestinian side in the southern part of the Palestinian territory on January 29, 2024 amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. AFP File
Egypt on Monday reiterated that it has not accepted an Israeli presence in the Rafah border crossing or Philadelphi Corridor.
According to a Times of Israel report, citing state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV, a key sticking point in Gaza ceasefire talks has been Israel’s insistence on a presence in the so-called Philadelphi Corridor in order to prevent Hamas from smuggling in arms.
The corridor is a narrow 14.5 km stretch of land along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt.
Israeli forces seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in early May, a move that has cut off a crucial aid route and drawn repeated condemnation from Egypt and other countries.
“Egypt is managing the mediation” between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas “in accordance with its national security”, the source told Al-Qahera News, which is linked to Egypt’s state intelligence service.
The negotiations, also mediated by Qatar and the US, have yielded little hope for a ceasefire, though Washington said Friday that some progress had been made.
Hamas said Sunday the group’s delegation had met with Egyptian and Qatari mediators before leaving Cairo, where Israeli negotiators were also expected.
With inputs from agencies
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