Egypt Builds Fortified Buffer Zone Amid Fears of Israeli Ground Invasion of Rafah
As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, Egypt is taking precautionary measures to prepare for a potential Israeli ground invasion of the southern city of Rafah. Satellite images and media reports have revealed that Egypt is constructing a fortified buffer zone near its border with the Gaza Strip, which could serve as a shelter for tens of thousands of Palestinians in the event of an exodus.
The construction site, located in the Sinai desert, shows concrete walls being set up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, the only non-Israeli-controlled crossing to and from Gaza. The compound, surrounded by concrete walls and situated far from any Egyptian settlements, has the capacity to accommodate over 100,000 people. Large numbers of tents have also been delivered to the site, indicating preparations for a potential influx of Palestinians.
Videos taken by the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights show trucks and bulldozers clearing debris from the construction site, which spans approximately 8 square miles. Satellite images obtained by The Washington Post reveal that 2 square miles were cleared between February 6 and Wednesday. The Sinai Foundation, an activist organization with a monitoring team in northern Sinai, reported that the gated area will be surrounded by 23-foot-high cement walls.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed concern over the potential displacement of Palestinians into Egypt’s Sinai region. Filippo Grandi, the UNHCR’s high commissioner, stated that such a mass movement would be disastrous for Palestinians and the prospects for peace in the Middle East. However, Egyptian authorities have emphasized their commitment to assisting Palestinians within Gaza itself.
Israel’s plans to take over the Philadelphi Corridor, the fortified border area between Gaza and Egypt, have raised tensions between the two countries. Egypt has warned that such an action would jeopardize the peace treaty signed between them four decades ago. Cairo has also drawn parallels between the potential displacement of Palestinians and the 1948 Nakba, in which approximately 750,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes during the war that led to the creation of Israel.
Despite international pressure, Israel remains steadfast in its plans to attack Rafah. The area is home to 1.4 million Palestinians, many of whom have already been displaced multiple times by Israeli military operations. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating, with a lack of sufficient shelter, food, water, and medicine. The United Nations and human rights groups have issued warnings about the worsening crisis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the army to develop an evacuation plan for more than half of Gaza’s population, but no detailed steps have been provided. Suggestions have been made to relocate Palestinians to areas north of Rafah that have already been cleared by the Israeli military. However, UN humanitarian aid chief Martin Griffiths has dismissed the idea as an “illusion” and warned that forcing Palestinians into Egypt would be a “nightmare.”
The United States and other key allies of Israel have voiced their opposition to a ground assault on Rafah, with some describing it as “catastrophic.” US President Joe Biden has made it clear that his administration does not support the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. The US is not funding any camps in Egypt for displaced Palestinians.
As the situation escalates, Israel has pulled out of talks with Hamas, citing the group’s “ludicrous demands.” Israeli war cabinet members, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, continue to push for “total victory,” with Rafah being referred to as the “last bastion” of Hamas. The Israeli military has been targeting Hamas battalions in Khan Younis, another city in southern Gaza, through shelling, sniper fire, and drone attacks. Nasser Hospital, the largest medical facility in the area, has also been under siege, with Israeli forces reportedly rounding up patients and cutting off electricity.
Since October 7, Israel’s attacks on Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 28,775 Palestinians and the injury of 68,552, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. Thousands more are missing, presumed to be buried under rubble.
As tensions continue to escalate and the humanitarian crisis worsens, the international community is closely monitoring the situation in Rafah and urging for a peaceful resolution to avoid further displacement and suffering for the Palestinian people.