According to the American magazine "Politico," Egyptian officials have made a number of requests to the United States during ongoing negotiations regarding the war in Gaza, including "funding and security equipment." According to five unnamed officials from Egypt, the United States, and Israel cited by "Politico," Cairo has "requested in recent months that the United States consider assistance in providing additional funding and new military equipment - such as security and radar systems - to secure the borders with Gaza in preparation for an Israeli ground operation in Rafah."
These requests come amid discussions between American officials and their counterparts in Qatar, Egypt, and Israel to create a roadmap ultimately leading to a ceasefire to allow for the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. As part of these discussions, Israel has stated its intention to drive Hamas militants out of the southern part of the territory through a ground operation in Rafah, where approximately one million Palestinians are displaced.
The war erupted following an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, which led to more than 1,160 deaths, mostly civilians, including women and children, according to Israeli figures. Around 250 people were also kidnapped, with about 130 still believed to be hostages in Gaza, and 34 are thought to have died, according to AFP. In response to this attack, Israel vowed to "eliminate" Hamas and began a devastating military operation in the Gaza Strip, accompanied by ground intervention since October 27, resulting in the deaths of over 31,000 Palestinians, many of whom are women and children, according to the health ministry in the territory.
Despite warnings from world leaders against an Israeli invasion of Rafah on the border with Egypt, where 1.5 million people, mostly displaced, are concentrated, Israel insists that this operation is "necessary" to achieve the war's objectives.
Last December, Egypt issued a strongly worded statement warning Israel of a "serious and grave threat" to relations between the two countries should it move to "occupy" the Philadelphia Corridor separating Gaza from Egypt. The Philadelphia Corridor, also known as the Salah al-Din Corridor, is a buffer zone under the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel from 1979, spanning 14 kilometers. Israel needs Egyptian approval before launching any military operation in it, according to their peace agreement.
Egyptian officials believe that intervention in Rafah will inevitably force hundreds of thousands of Gaza residents to flee south to the border, where they will likely attempt to cross. Officials are particularly concerned about the potential crossing of Hamas militants into Sinai, a region that has harbored extremists who have carried out attacks for years.
"Additional funding and equipment requested by Egypt will help its army manage the potential influx of Gaza residents at its borders," officials told "Politico." Two American officials stated that these Egyptian requests, "while typical, especially amid intense international negotiations, have added a layer of complexity to the talks and slowed their pace." An Israeli official noted, "For Israel to proceed with the invasion of Rafah, we really need the approval of Egypt," adding, "It’s their border that they are concerned about. They do not want to shelter all of Gaza's residents in Rafah."
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry declined to comment to "Politico," as did the U.S. State Department. A third American official stated that the administration has "accelerated talks with the Egyptians in recent weeks amid growing concerns about their borders," adding that Washington "also wants to close all potential smuggling routes for Hamas."
