Israeli forces are constructing a new road along Gaza’s border with Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, as revealed by satellite images analyzed by the BBC.
The images, captured between August 26 and September 5 and studied by BBC Verify, depict fresh asphalt on a 6.4-kilometer stretch of road starting from the coast and running inland parallel to the border fence.
This road, located in the buffer zone that has become a key issue in ongoing ceasefire talks, suggests that Israeli forces have no immediate plans to withdraw from the area.
On Wednesday, videos circulated online showing heavy machinery laying the new asphalt along the corridor.
This strategically vital piece of land has become a central point of contention in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
While Hamas rejects any Israeli presence, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that no withdrawal from the Philadelphi or Netzarim corridors will take place under any truce agreement.
A longstanding issue
The Philadelphi Corridor has been in existence for over 40 years, maintained under bilateral agreements between Egypt and Israel.
Meanwhile, the Netzarim Corridor, cutting through central Gaza, was created more recently by Israeli forces to monitor Palestinian activity.
Palestinian factions strongly oppose Israel’s insistence on maintaining a military presence in both corridors, with some claiming Netanyahu added these demands to deliberately stall the negotiations.
At a press briefing in Jerusalem on September 2, Netanyahu stated: “The Philadelphi Corridor is crucial, and we must maintain control of it to protect our security interests.”
However, Nadav Argaman, former head of Israel’s Shin Bet security service, criticized Netanyahu’s stance in an interview aired on Channel 12 news.
Argaman, who served as head of Shin Bet from 2016 to 2021, suggested Netanyahu’s push for a continued military presence was more about political maneuvering than security concerns.
“There’s no connection between the weapons in Gaza and the Philadelphi Corridor,” Argaman noted. “Netanyahu knows very well that there’s no smuggling happening through the Philadelphi Corridor. This is more about preserving his government than security.”
