Tel Aviv, MINA – Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has admitted that a photo released by the Israeli military, purportedly showing a large tunnel in the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, was misleading and did not reflect reality, Palestine Chronicle reported.
Speaking to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN), Gallant clarified that what was presented as a significant tunnel threat was, in fact, only a shallow trench about one meter deep. He stated that the image was used to exaggerate the strategic importance of the Philadelphi Road and delay a potential prisoner exchange deal.
The photo, originally circulated in August by Israeli media, claimed to show a multi-level tunnel constructed by Palestinian resistance fighters. The image was widely described as evidence of a vast underground network and received heavy media attention as a major military discovery.
Gallant, however, revealed that the photo had political motivations. The supposed tunnel was actually a standard drainage channel, and a military vehicle was intentionally placed to create the illusion of depth and size. This was done to suggest that the Philadelphi Corridor was a key route for weapons smuggling, despite the lack of credible evidence.
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Despite these revelations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained firm on the army’s control of the corridor. He reportedly said during a meeting with the families of Israeli female soldiers: “We will not back down from our demand regarding the Philadelphi Corridor, and I do not care about the position of the security services.”
Netanyahu’s insistence has faced internal criticism from within Israel’s security and military leadership, who question the necessity and strategic value of holding the corridor. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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