Egypt has bolstered its military presence at the Gaza border in northeastern Sinai, deploying additional armoured personnel carriers and soldiers, according to an Egyptian rights group. This move signals further deterioration in relations between Cairo and Israel.
Residents of Sheikh Zuweid in Sinai reported seeing fifteen armoured personnel carriers, equipped with combat gear, heading towards Egypt’s border with Gaza on Wednesday evening, the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights confirmed. Additionally, another convoy of armoured vehicles arrived in the village of Al-Joura, south of Sheikh Zuweid.
This deployment occurs amidst escalating tensions between Egypt and Israel over Israel’s recent military actions in Rafah, a city on the southern Gaza border. Last week, Israel seized control of the Rafah border crossing and launched operations in the city, which shelters around 1.5 million displaced Palestinians. The Israeli offensive has angered Egypt, a country that has maintained a 45-year peace treaty with Israel and has close security cooperation with it.
Humanitarian aid to Gaza has been halted due to Israel’s seizure of the Rafah crossing, and the diplomatic rift between Egypt and Israel has been intensifying over recent days. The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Egyptian officials are contemplating downgrading bilateral relations with Israel, potentially withdrawing their ambassador.
Furthermore, Egypt has announced its intention to join South Africa in a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has also accused Israel of obstructing aid to Gaza.
According to a former senior Western diplomat, the deployment of additional troops to Sinai could represent a significant escalation in the dispute. These troop movements coincide with President Sisi’s recent statements on the matter. At an Arab League summit in Bahrain on Thursday, he accused Israel of avoiding efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.