The Philadelphi Corridor : The Experience we do not go through

Updated on: 4/1/2024 

Up till now, there has been no official Egyptian 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Saturday that the border area known as the "Philadelphi Corridor" or as known in Egypt “Salahudin Corridor” between Gaza and Egypt should be under Israeli control.

"The Philadelphi Corridor, or more precisely, the southern checkpoint (in Gaza), must be under our control. It must be closed. Any other alternative arrangement will not ensure the disarmament we are seeking." Netanyahu emphasized this in his weekly press conference following his cabinet meeting.

Expressing his belief that Israel's ongoing conflict in Gaza and other regions would persist for several more months, Bibi with a face botched with a makeup that failed to hide the impact of the war he launched on his health spoke about his plan concerning the Philadelphia Corridor despite Egypt’s warnings.

In October, Egypt issued a warning to Israel against conducting any military operations within the 100-metre-wide corridor, a region governed by the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of 1979.

Last week the Egyptian informed sources denied that the Israeli army was operating in the Philadelphia Corridor according to Israeli media reports.

The week before, Israeli TV channel KAN reported that Egypt rejected a suggestion from Israel to deploy a joint security a joint Egyptian Israeli force on the Philadelphi axis near the border with the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian state is not stupid to be dragged to the fight.

How to Escape Israeli Shelling in a Gaza Market

Can you imagine the terror of escaping a military bombardment in a densely populated city? 

This is how the Israeli shelling looks like in a civilian area in Rafah

This was the reality for Joe Jayyab, a young Palestinian content creator once dubbed “Palestine’s Youngest Travel Blogger” who turned into a military correspondent.  

A week ago, Jayyab and his brother ventured to a market in Rafah to purchase food supplies.

In a video captured by Jayyab, you can see just how close the shelling is to civilians.

Escaping Israeli shelling

According to Jayyab, Israel was targeting a UNRWA school that had become a refuge for hundreds, if not thousands, of families. Amidst the chaos, people were still attempting to buy their supplies in the market.

Gaza War 2023: This is what the real humans of Palestine say /are saying/said “Bethlehem’s silent Christmas edition”

“If Jesus - Peace be upon him - were to be born today, he would be born under the rubble. In Gaza!”

Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem.

22 December 2023

Sunday was Christmas Eve, but the usual festive spirit was noticeably absent at Christ’s birthplace in Bethlehem, located in the occupied West Bank.

Thousands of Christian Palestinians, residing in the land where Jesus Christ was born, chose not to celebrate Christmas as they have for countless centuries.

The Nativity Scene of 2023 at the Lutheran Church of Bethlehem 

The question arises: how can they celebrate when their fellow Palestinians are victims of the most severe genocide since the Nakba of 1948?

According to assessments by the Washington Post, based on interviews with Western experts, UN officials, and satellite imagery, Israel has waged one of the deadliest wars of this century in Gaza, lasting 80 days.

In this post, I will share the sentiments and actions of Christian Palestinians in Bethlehem during Christmas. 

This year, the usual festive mood was replaced by a sombre atmosphere.

The traditional Christmas tree and lively traditional Christmas Eve Procession by the renowned Palestinian scouts of the Patriarch of Jerusalem were absent.

Instead, the procession of the Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem scouts to Bethlehem turned into a silent protesting march in gloomy rainy weather as the heavens wept.

Al-Shifa babies are fine and okay in Egypt … let’s bring the rest of the premature babies from Gaza to safety

Many people have asked about the recent updates on the Al-Shifa premature babies in Egypt, and I have great news for you: they are okay, safe, and on the road to recovery from the challenges they've faced.

How do I know this? Thankfully, a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) led by Robert Holden, WHO emergency coordinator, visited the Administrative Capital Hospital on the outskirts of Cairo to assess the babies earlier in December.

There are currently 12 premature babies at the Administrative Capital Hospital. They were airlifted from Al-Arish due to their critical condition. Thankfully, they began to recover especially from malnourishment.

According to doctors at the Emirati Field Hospital in South Gaza, where the babies were transferred before heading to Egypt, most of the infants experienced severe hypoglycemia—a potentially life-threatening condition due to insufficient blood sugar levels. This resulted from their inability to consume an adequate amount of milk.

The most recent photo of the famous premature baby from Al-Shifa Hospital as
released by WHO at the administrative capital hospital in Cairo in early December

Ironically, during the visit, Dr Brennan identified our favourite baby, Rana, as a boy instead of a girl—the daughter of Rana. This revelation left me feeling a bit bewildered especially Palestinian doctors and journalists affirm that the baby is a girl.

Regardless of the baby's gender, what truly matters is what the WHO official said about the challenging start in life that the baby endured, having lost both parents and an eye.

Gaza War 2023: The Deir El-Balah massacre on 5 December in video and photos (+18 Graphic content)

 Describing the current situation involves recounting how I was focusing to work on this post on what happened to Deir El-Balah, only to discover that the Israeli army has committed at least two massacres, resulting in the loss of numerous civilian lives.

Regrettably, the international media appears indifferent to the ongoing casualties over the past 24 hours.

On Tuesday, the Israeli Occupation Army once again perpetrated a series of massacres against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

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This time it was in Deir El-Balah, in central Gaza.

The Israeli shelling targeted a street in Deir El-Balah, precisely next to the home of Palestinian Photographer Motaz Azaiza. He captured the immediate aftermath of the shelling in both video and photos.

I compiled the videos that he shared on Instagram into an 11-minute unedited video, which I strongly recommend watching until the end. You can watch it on YouTube because it is restricted due to the graphic content. 

This footage provides an unfiltered glimpse into the current situation in Gaza.

Motaz Azaiza, despite being named GQ Middle East Man of the Year, couldn't even celebrate for a moment as he searched for his brother. 

Deir El-Balah's street after the Israeli shelling. 

Fortunately, his brother survived, but sadly, his neighbour and friend, Mohamed, lost his life.

Gaza War 2023: They are not journalists and photographers anymore; they are people facing genocide

"The stage of risking everything to bring you the news is over, and now the survival stage has started," said Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza on Saturday.

“I brought enough news to you, and God be my witness, it was for God and to serve my country,” said Azaiza as the Israeli army entered its second day of attacking Gaza after breaching the truce between it and Palestinian factions led by Hamas.

Bissan , Ismail and Motaz 

“We are now facing the start of internal siege; we can’t move to North or South.” The young Palestinian photographer, who was chosen as GQ Middle East’s Man of the Year 2023, described in a post in Arabic how the Israeli tanks surrounded central Gaza on both the Northern and Southern ends.

The message of Motaz Azaiza 

“Our situation is more dire than you can imagine,” Azaiza, who lost scores of his family members in this way, said.

“Remember: We are not content for you to share. We are a cause attempting to stay alive, alone.”

I've read what Motaz Azaiza has said and shared online, and I feel deeply concerned—worried for him and for other Palestinian reporters, photographers, and citizen journalists who, for two months now, have bravely conveyed the truth to the world.