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A senior Egyptian government official denied recent allegations made by the Israeli army of the existence of "operational tunnels" under the Philadelphi Corridor bordering Egypt with the besieged Palestinian Gaza Strip.ÌýÌý

The security official, who spoke to °®Âþµº on condition of anonymity for not being authorised to brief the media, said, "Tel Aviv resorted to such a political manoeuvre to save face amid the world's condemnations of its brutal war against the Palestinians in Gaza."

"We have also to bear in mind that the ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel have hit a stumbling block following the assassination of the Palestinian faction's lead peace negotiator and senior leader Ismail Haniyeh [earlier last week] and the ongoing tension between Israel and Lebanon," the official added.

On Sunday, Israeli news outlets claimed, citing the Israeli military, as saying that Israeli forces had uncovered a "3-metre-highÌýtunnel" in Philadelphi, (also known in Arabic as the Salaheddin corridor)ÌýalongÌýthe Gaza border with Egypt's North Sinai province, which was big "enough for vehicles to drive through."

"It was located along the so-called Philadelphi Corridor last week, as part of efforts to uncover all of Hamas's arms-smuggling routes in the area," Times of Israel .

"Dozens of tunnels have been found along the Philadelphi Corridor, including at least 25 that crossed into Egypt," the Israeli media outlet claimed.

The Israeli army alsoÌý on its social media accounts what it claims are pictures and video footage of security forces destroying a number of tunnels in the area across the border.

"The circulated videos and pictures could have been staged… there is no proof of the time and place where they were taken," the Egyptian official argued in response.Ìý

The Israeli military said at the end of last month that a period of almost half a year is required to unearth and demolish tunnels in the strategic buffer zone between southernÌýGaza and Egypt.

The Philadelphi Corridor is a narrow 14-kilometre strip of land covering the entire border between Egypt and Gaza. Until May, Egypt had exercised full control over the axis andÌýIsraeli troops were prohibitedÌýfrom the zone.Ìý

In May this year, IsraelÌýhad overrun the corridor, seizing control of the Rafah crossing, Gaza's only exit to the outside world. By taking control of the corridor and Rafah Crossing, Israel violated theÌýdecades-long peace treatyÌýwith Egypt, straining relations with Cairo further.

Before theÌýIsraeli invasion of Gaza in October last year, Egypt patrolled its side of the corridor and Palestinian authorities managed the Gaza side as per the Camp David agreement.

Israel had long been critical of both sides for their management of the buffer zone and fearful of Hamas-built tunnels below ground.