Egypt Prepares for Potential Israeli Offensive on Gaza Border
Satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press reveal that Egypt is constructing a wall and leveling land near its border with the Gaza Strip, signaling preparations for a possible Israeli offensive targeting the border city of Rafah. The construction, which Egypt has not publicly acknowledged, raises concerns about the potential displacement of over a million Palestinians currently residing in Rafah.
The ongoing battle between Egypt and the militant group Hamas has entered its fifth month, prompting Egypt to issue multiple warnings to Israel against forcibly expelling the Palestinians into Egyptian territory. However, the recent activities on the Egyptian side of the border in the Sinai Peninsula imply that Cairo is preparing for such a scenario, which could jeopardize its crucial 1979 peace deal with Israel, a vital element for regional security.
The Egyptian government has not responded to requests for comment regarding the construction. Nevertheless, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry released a statement on February 11, expressing concern over an Israeli offensive in Rafah and warning against any displacement of the Palestinian people.
Satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies on Thursday show the construction of a wall along the Sheikh Zuweid-Rafah Road, situated approximately 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) west of the Gaza border. The images display cranes, trucks, and what appear to be precast concrete barriers being installed along the road. These images are consistent with a video released by the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights on February 12, showing a crane placing concrete walls along the same route.
Additionally, construction crews are observed leveling and clearing ground near the border area. Images from Planet Labs PBC further confirm these activities. Anonymous Egyptian officials described the construction of an '8-square-mile (20-square-kilometer) walled enclosure' that could potentially accommodate over 100,000 people, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Speculation about the expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip has arisen among hard-line officials within Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. However, such a move is met with strong opposition from Israel's main ally, the United States. The Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank are regions that the Palestinians hope to incorporate into their future state.
The Israeli military declined to comment on Egypt's construction, referring inquiries to Netanyahu's office, which has yet to respond.
A report from Israel's Intelligence Ministry, drafted just six days after the October 7 attack by Hamas from the Gaza Strip that resulted in the death of 1,200 people and the abduction of over 250 others, proposed relocating Gaza's civilian population to tent cities in the northern Sinai, followed by the construction of permanent cities and the establishment of an undefined humanitarian corridor. Since then, the Israel-Hamas war has caused severe destruction in the coastal enclave and claimed the lives of more than 28,600 people, primarily women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
As tensions rise and preparations are made, the international community watches with concern as the delicate balance in the region rests on the brink of potential escalation.
