Middle-East

Egypt affirms commitment to Israel peace treaty amid fears of Rafah offensive

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. (Photo: KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)

By Foreign Reporter | Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Cairo has voiced concerns that an Israeli incursion into Rafah could trigger a surge of refugees into the Sinai desert, worsening the humanitarian situation in the strip.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry affirmed on Monday that Cairo remains dedicated to maintaining its peace treaty with Israel, despite recent reports suggesting the agreement could be at risk if the military advances on the Gazan city of Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian border.

Cairo has voiced concerns that an Israeli incursion into Rafah, where many displaced Gazans have sought refuge, could trigger a surge of refugees into the Sinai desert, worsening the humanitarian situation in the strip.

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In response to a reporter's question, Cairo's top diplomat addressed the potential ramifications of such an assault on his country's relationship with Israel.

"There is a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, which has been in effect for the past 40 years and will continue to be. We are actively dealing with this matter at this stage," Sameh said, during a trip to Ljubljana, according to quotes carried by Sky News Arabic.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported Egyptian officials' warning that the longstanding peace treaty between Egypt and Israel might face suspension if Israeli forces enter Rafah or if refugees from Rafah are displaced southward into the Sinai Peninsula.

With over half of Gaza's 2.3 million inhabitants seeking refuge in Rafah to escape conflict elsewhere, concerns mount over a potential mass exodus and the possibility that displaced individuals may be denied re-entry.

Egypt is particularly apprehensive about the humanitarian and logistical challenges posed by such a scenario.

The United Nations has already warned it "will not be a party" to any forced displacement of Palestinians currently living in Rafah, the spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday, saying there was nowhere safe in Gaza for them to go.