Egypt is taking precautionary measures in anticipation of a potential Israeli offensive on the border city of Rafah. Satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press reveal that Egypt is constructing a wall and leveling land near its border with the Gaza Strip. While the Egyptian government has not publicly acknowledged these actions, it has repeatedly warned Israel against forcibly expelling the over 1 million Palestinians currently displaced in Rafah into Egyptian territory.
The construction and preparations on the Egyptian side of the border suggest that Cairo is preparing for a scenario in which it may need to receive Palestinian refugees. However, such actions could threaten Egypt’s 1979 peace deal with Israel, which has been crucial for regional security. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on February 11 warning Israel about the potential offensive and the displacement of the Palestinian people.
Satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies on February 12 show ongoing construction of a wall along the Sheikh Zuweid-Rafah Road, approximately 2 miles west of the border with Gaza. The images reveal the presence of cranes, trucks, and precast concrete barriers being set up along the road. These images correspond to a video released by the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights, which shows a crane lifting concrete walls into place.
The purpose of this construction is to create a high-security gated and isolated area near the borders with Gaza in preparation for the reception of Palestinian refugees in the event of a mass exodus. Additionally, nearby construction crews are seen leveling and clearing ground for an unknown purpose. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, anonymous Egyptian officials describe an 8-square-mile walled enclosure being built in the area, capable of accommodating over 100,000 people.
Hard-line officials within Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have suggested pushing Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip. However, this proposal is strongly opposed by Israel’s main ally, the United States. The Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank are territories that the Palestinians hope to have for their future state.
The Israeli military has referred questions regarding Egypt’s construction to Netanyahu’s office, which has not responded. It is worth noting that homes and farmland in the area were previously razed during Egypt’s war on an affiliate of the Islamic State group in the region.
In a report drafted just six days after a deadly attack by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, Israel’s Intelligence Ministry proposed moving Gaza’s civilian population to tent cities in the northern Sinai, followed by the construction of permanent cities and a humanitarian corridor. Since then, the Israel-Hamas war has caused extensive destruction in the Gaza Strip and led to the deaths of over 28,600 people, primarily women and children.
The situation along the Egyptian-Israeli border remains tense as both countries navigate the complexities of regional security and the displacement of Palestinian refugees. The construction of a wall and preparations for potential mass exodus reflect the delicate balance that Egypt must maintain to protect its own interests while upholding its peace treaty with Israel.
