Egypt is constructing a wall along its border with the Gaza Strip in Rafah, where 1.3 million civilians remain displaced as Israel clashes with Hamas terrorists, Egyptian officials told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
The wall, which is set to span 8 square miles, is being developed as Egyptian officials fear refugees from Gaza will flood into the country after Israel removes Hamas from power. Arab media first reported the construction in December, though the WSJ and New York Times have now confirmed the development of a barrier along the Egypt-Gaza border.
Egypt has previously declared its opposition to any Israeli offensive in the southern Gaza Strip that could destabilize its border with the strip. The Egyptian foreign ministry said on Sunday Sunday of the “grave consequences” of an Israeli military operation in Rafah and called on Israel to refrain from “taking measures that would further complicate the situation and would harm the interests of everyone involved without exception.”
Israel’s push for a Rafah operation comes as it is under heavy international pressure to halt the war and amid growing tension with the Biden administration, which has not sought to hide its frustrations with Israel even as it continued to support its battle against Hamas.
While Western media has reported that Egypt has threatened to suspend ties with Israel if the IDF launches an offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza, Army Radio cited Egyptian officials as saying on Sunday that Egypt would not act to prevent an offensive in Rafah as long as civilians aren’t harmed.
Egypt’s border with Gaza
The IDF informed Egypt of its intention to occupy the border area on the “Philadelphi” Rafa route and asked the Egyptian soldiers to clear the border, according to Arab media reports in December.
Egypt has repeatedly voiced its refusal to provide a haven to Gazan refugees fleeing the war, with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly saying that Cairo is “ready to sacrifice millions of lives to protect our territory from any encroachment” in an October 31st speech.
The two countries have maintained a blockade on Gaza, strictly limiting the movement of people and goods across its borders, after Hamas took control there in 2007.
Tovah Lazaroff and Reuters contributed to this report.
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