IDF Discovers 150 Tunnels on Egypt-Israel Border as Biden Calls Netanyahu

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Israeli forces have discovered and demolished more than 150 tunnels along the Gaza-Egypt border, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on August 21. Gallant’s announcement came shortly before a phone call between President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During their conversation, Biden reportedly pressured Netanyahu to be more flexible on the status of the Philadelphi Corridor, which separates Gaza from Egypt, during ongoing ceasefire negotiations.

This border has proven to be a prime smuggling route for weapons to Hamas from Egypt. Netanyahu’s demand that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) remain deployed along the Philadelphi Corridor is not new, but a stipulation of all negotiations ever since the IDF took over the area on May 7.

Expert Analysis

“There are two facts we must confront. First, it’s not possible that Cairo was unaware of the massive number of tunnels crossing into Egypt. The Egyptian government at the highest levels either let it happen or helped it happen. Second, if the IDF withdraws from the Philadelphi Corridor, all these tunnels are coming right back.” — Richard Goldberg, FDD Senior Advisor

“Strict monitoring of the Egyptian-Gaza border, either via Israel’s direct control or international troops, is a must for any successful effort to weaken Hamas. Otherwise, the whole Israeli effort will have been in vain and Egyptian officials will simply go back to their old double game — juggling Hamas and Israel as the situation requires.” — Haisam Hassanein, FDD Adjunct Fellow

White House Pressures Israel Despite Continued Discovery of Tunnels

The Biden administration has previously signaled its discontent with Netanyahu’s insistence that Israeli troops should be allowed to continue patrolling the border as a condition of any ceasefire agreement. After Netanyahu told families of hostages that he had convinced U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier in the week that a ceasefire deal must maintain Israeli troops on the border, a Biden administration official criticized the statements as “maximalist” and “not constructive to getting a ceasefire deal across the finish line.”

Egypt has also remained steadfast in insisting on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor, saying it rejects any ceasefire agreement that includes any permanent or long-term Israeli deployment on the Palestinian side of its border with Gaza. The Israeli takeover of the border has caused domestic turmoil for Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah Al Sisi, and Egyptian media have characterized the IDF’s presence as an infringement on Egypt’s sovereignty.

Related Analysis

“Israeli Forces Raze 50 Terror Tunnels in Southern Gaza,” FDD Flash Brief

“IDF unearths more tunnels, gains control of Philadelphi Corridor,” by Seth J. Frantzman

“Israel: 50 Rafah Tunnels to Egypt Unearthed,” FDD Flash Brief