Egyptian media reported that the Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Army made a surprise visit to the Gaza border area.

The media quoted Egyptian Armed Forces spokesman Colonel Gharib Abdel Hafez as saying that Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, is making a surprise visit to inspect the security conditions and measures on the border with the Gaza Strip.

The visit comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked controversy with his remarks about the Philadelphi Corridor and Egypt’s involvement in smuggling weapons to Hamas.