Egypt has significantly strengthened its border with Gaza, creating a 5-kilometer buffer zone and installing above and below-ground concrete walls. This measure is taken to prevent a potential breach that could lead to a mass influx of Palestinian refugees into the Sinai Peninsula. Over half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population has sought refuge in Rafah due to conflicts in other areas.
In response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s consideration of sending troops into Rafah to combat the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, Egypt has issued a warning. It threatens to suspend the Camp David Accords, a landmark peace treaty with Israel, if Israeli forces enter Rafah. Egypt is concerned about the humanitarian consequences and the possibility of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who might not be allowed to return.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has expressed concern over the potential offensive, stating that an Israeli operation in Rafah could lead to an “unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe” and strain relations with Egypt. The United Nations reports severe overcrowding in Rafah, normally home to less than 300,000 people, with an additional 1.4 million people seeking shelter there from conflicts in other parts of Gaza.
Egypt’s border fortifications aim to prevent any breach and halt a massive influx of people into the Sinai Peninsula. The country denies Israeli claims of ongoing Hamas smuggling tunnels beneath the border, asserting that its forces maintain full control on their side of the border. A ground invasion in Rafah could jeopardize the main aid supply route for Gaza’s essential food and medical supplies.
