By Ibrahim al-Khazen
ISTANBUL (AA) - Egypt again rejected any Israeli presence along the Gaza-Egypt border areas, including the Rafah border crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor.
The statement was made by an informed Egyptian source cited by the state-affiliated Al-Qahera News channel, as Cairo continues to host Gaza cease-fire talks between Israel and the Hamas group that resumed on Thursday.
"Egypt reiterated to all relevant parties its rejection of any Israeli presence at (the Palestinian side of) the Rafah crossing or the Philadelphi Corridor" that Israel seized in May, the source said.
The Philadelphi Corridor, a demilitarized buffer zone along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, remains one of the major sticking points in Israel-Hamas negotiations.
The source added: "Egypt is managing the mediation between the two warring parties (Hamas and Egypt) in accordance with its national security and what preserves the rights of the Palestinian people."
The source also said that Egypt is doing its utmost efforts to bring both parties to a consensus, and is coordinating its efforts with Qatar and the US.
For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and a cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
The onslaught has resulted in over 40,400 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,400 injuries, according to local health authorities.
An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar