Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry emphasized today, Saturday, that any Israeli military operation in Rafah will pose a direct threat to "our national security." During a discussion session titled "Towards Stability and Peace in the Middle East: The Challenge of Curbing Escalation" at the Munich Security Conference, Shoukry noted that the displacement of populations is a violation of international and humanitarian law, whether internally or externally. He added that any military operations in Rafah would have catastrophic humanitarian consequences in the Gaza Strip.
On Friday, Reuters reported that Egypt is preparing an area on its border with Gaza that could shelter Palestinians if an Israeli military assault on Rafah leads to mass displacement across the border. Sources described this as an emergency move. Egypt has repeatedly denied making such preparations.
Shoukry discussed the construction activities reported along the border, stating, "This is entirely hypothetical. We are always conducting maintenance work on our borders, so I believe it is a leap to conclusions regarding what those activities represent."
Earlier, the Governor of North Sinai mentioned that the armed forces are establishing a logistical area to receive aid for Gaza. He added that the area being constructed includes truck parking spaces, storage facilities, administrative offices, and housing for drivers.
Egypt has repeatedly warned that the destructive Israeli assault on Gaza could lead to the displacement of Palestinians into Sinai, a scenario that Cairo insists is completely unacceptable. Other Arab countries, including Jordan, have issued similar warnings.
