Egypt is reportedly building a wall in the Sinai Desert near Gaza, fearing that Israel’s Rafah operation could lead to Palestinians attempting to seek refuge in Egyptian land. According to the Wall Street Journal, construction has begun on a 20-square-kilometer walled enclosure near the Gaza Strip that could hold more than 100,000 people. Using this, Egypt hopes to limit the number of Palestinians in the walled region to 50,000 to 60,000 in case a substantial number of refugees evacuate.
According to the publication, Egyptian officials have stated that Palestinians will be prevented from leaving the area unless they are traveling to another nation. At the same time, travel restrictions in northern Sinai will be strengthened, they stated, while the local governor refuted the allegations, claiming that the construction was part of the damage assessment.
Construction activity spotted near Egypt-Gaza Border raises concerns
Earlier, the New York Times posted a short video clip of numerous construction vehicles south of Rafah. Israel is preparing to launch an operation in Rafah, near the Egypt-Gaza border, while US and Tel Aviv allies have warned of humanitarian risks in the area where the UN believes more than one million Gazans may be sheltering. Meanwhile, Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry said that Cairo is committed to upholding its peace treaty with Israel.
“We will continue our efforts with both parties to reach an agreement that leads to the release of hostages and prisoners and ensuring the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip,” he said talking about ongoing efforts to forge a truce deal between Israel and Hamas. Qatar and the US are also involved in the process of initiating a peace deal, it was earlier reported.
A paper by Israel’s Intelligence Ministry, produced just six days after Hamas’ October 7 attack in Israel, proposed relocating Gaza’s civilian population to tent camps in northern Sinai. The Associated Press said that the proposal also envisioned the construction of permanent cities in the area, which might serve as an undefined humanitarian corridor.