Gaza: Israel controls Philadelphia corridor to Egypt

The Israeli military said Wednesday it had taken control of a strategic corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt to cut off smuggling tunnels, as it attempts to destroy the Hamas militant group in a war which is in its eighth month.

Seizing the Philadelphia Corridor could complicate Israel’s relations with Egypt , which has complained about Israel’s advance toward its border. Israel says the corridor is riddled with tunnels that have transported weapons and other goods for Hamas , despite a years-long blockade by Israel and Egypt.

Israel also stepped up its incursion into the southern Gaza town of Rafah , where hundreds of thousands of people have sought shelter from the fighting and…