Israel extends control of Gaza's entire landborder | BBC News

Israel's military has taken control of the buffer zonealong the Gaza-Egypt border known as the PhiladelphiCorridor, meaning that Israel now controls Gaza's
entire land border.

A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces said about20 tunnels used by Hamas to smuggle weapons intoGaza had been found within the zone.

Egyptian TV quoted sources denying this, and saidIsrael was trying to justify its military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Meanwhile, the amount of humanitarian aid enteringGaza has decreased by two-thirds since Israel began its military operation in Rafah earlier this month, according to the UN.

Israel has insisted that it must take Rafah to achievevictory in the war triggered by Hamas's unprecedentedattack on the country on 7 October, during which about1,200 people were killed and 252 others were taken hostage.

At least 36,170 people have been killed across Gazasince the start of the conflict, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.