Gazans Trying to Flee War Have Egypt Weighing Aid and Security

Tarek El-Tablawy and Salma El Wardany
·3 min read
182

(Bloomberg) -- Opening an escape route for thousands of Palestinians trying to flee Israeli strikes on Gaza isn’t an easy proposition for neighboring Egypt, as it struggles to balance humanitarian support with national security concerns.

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The North African nation’s stance is increasingly in focus as the US and others discuss with Egypt the possibility of safe passage for civilians, as well as providing vital aid to Gaza’s 2 million residents after Israel’s decision to cut off access to food, water and power.

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A safe route “is something we are focused on and we are working on,” US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday, according to a transcript. He declined to give details on specific locations.

Still, Israeli shelling near the border post has complicated any attempts for people or aid to cross. Israeli officials have warned that any trucks bringing in supplies could be targeted, according to Israeli media.

More than 1,200 Israelis and 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday’s surprise attack against Israel by Gaza-based militants Hamas, which the US and Europe have declared a terrorist group.

Meeting with United Nations officials on Wednesday, Egypt’s foreign ministry said it voiced full support for UN efforts to ensure the continuation of vital services and the arrival of relief supplies to Gazans.

But fully opening Egypt’s tightly controlled Rafah border crossing, which connects the Sinai peninsula with Gaza, and letting in sizable numbers of refugees is another issue — and something, local media and a populist lawmaker suggest, the country neither wants nor can afford.

State-run Ahram Online on Tuesday revived fears of what it called “a frequently proposed Israeli scheme” to resettle Gazans in Sinai, with a story citing Egyptian security sources rejecting the “historically and politically corrupt” idea.

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President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has said guarding Egypt’s national security is his “top responsibility, and there will be no compromise or complacency under any circumstances.” He warned Tuesday that further escalation between Israel and Hamas could cause regional instability.

Egypt, which in 1980 became the first Arab country to normalize relations with Israel, has mediated between the warring sides during previous conflicts in Gaza. Ahram Online on Monday reported Cairo was working to facilitate a prisoner-exchange deal.

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But any escalation that sees Palestinians flee to Egypt is seen by authorities as posing fresh challenges just as the country is grappling with its worst economic crisis in decades. El-Sisi spearheaded a war against militants in northern Sinai after taking office in 2014 and has touted ambitious plans to develop and invest in the region.

An Egyptian humanitarian organization on Tuesday said it was preparing a convoy of food and medical assistance for Gaza. It wasn’t clear if it would be able to cross.

Egyptian lawmaker Mostafa Bakry, who’s widely seen as close to El-Sisi, wrote on X that neither Egypt nor the Palestinians would accept Palestinians being displaced to Sinai.

“Egypt’s security and Egypt’s land are not permissible,” Bakry said.

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