Egypt has deployed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles to its border with Gaza, as it braces for a potential humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s ongoing military operation in the besieged enclave.
The Egyptian military has also built a concrete wall that extends six meters underground and is topped with barbed wire, to prevent any possible infiltration by Hamas fighters or Palestinian civilians fleeing the Israeli bombardment.
Egypt, which has a peace treaty with Israel and maintains a blockade on Gaza along with the Jewish state, has expressed alarm over the possibility of a mass exodus of Palestinians from the coastal strip, where nearly two million people live under dire conditions.
Egyptian officials have accused Israel of seeking to occupy the border buffer zone, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, and of limiting the delivery of aid to Gaza, where the risk of famine and disease is growing.
Egypt has also called for an immediate ceasefire and urged the international community to intervene to stop the bloodshed and protect the civilian population.
Egypt’s role in the conflict
Egypt has historically played a key role in mediating between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules Gaza. Egypt brokered a truce in 2014 that ended a 50-day war that killed more than 2,200 Palestinians and 73 Israelis.
However, Egypt’s relations with Hamas have deteriorated since the 2013 military coup that ousted the Muslim Brotherhood, an ally of Hamas, from power in Cairo. Egypt has accused Hamas of supporting Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula, where the Egyptian army has been fighting a decade-long insurgency.
Egypt has also cracked down on the smuggling tunnels that used to provide a lifeline for Gaza and has restricted the opening of the Rafah Crossing, the only official border crossing for Gazans.
Despite the tensions, Egypt has maintained contact with Hamas and other Palestinian factions and has hosted several rounds of reconciliation talks to end the internal division among the Palestinians.
Egypt has also facilitated the passage of some humanitarian aid and fuel to Gaza and has allowed some wounded Palestinians to receive treatment in Egyptian hospitals.
Egypt’s stance on the Palestinian cause
Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, following the Camp David Accords brokered by the United States. The treaty, which returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, was widely unpopular among Egyptians and other Arabs, who saw it as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.
Egypt has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to the two-state solution, based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. Egypt has also condemned Israel’s settlement expansion, annexation plans, and violations of human rights in the occupied territories.
They have also expressed solidarity with the Palestinians during the current escalation and have participated in several regional and international initiatives to end the violence and revive the peace process.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said that Egypt will spare no effort to help the Palestinians achieve their legitimate aspirations, and has called for a comprehensive and just solution to the conflict.
The international community, including the US, the UN, the EU, and several Arab and Muslim countries, has intensified its diplomatic efforts to broker a lasting ceasefire and to address the humanitarian and political issues that fuel the conflict.
The UN Security Council has also held several emergency meetings to discuss the crisis and has called for an immediate end to the hostilities and respect for international law.
The Palestinian people, who have shown remarkable resilience and courage in the face of Israeli aggression, have also received an unprecedented wave of solidarity and support from people around the world, who have staged protests, boycotts, and campaigns to demand justice and accountability for the crimes committed against them.
As the world marks the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Nov. 29, there is a glimmer of hope that the suffering of Gaza will end soon, and that a new era of peace and dignity will dawn for the Palestinians and the region.
Source: Reuters
