Egypt and Israel have traded blame over who is responsible for the continued closure of the Rafah crossing, a key conduit for bringing aid into Gaza and allowing the sick and wounded to leave. Israeli troops captured the crossing on May 6 and Israeli, Egyptian and Palestinian officials have been unable to strike a deal to resume operations there.

I srael's military says it has taken control over a strategic zone along the border between Gaza and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor. A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that about 20 tunnels used by Hamas to smuggle weapons into Gaza had been found there.