Egypt Daily News – Diplomatic tensions between Egypt and Israel have escalated following a series of formal objections from Israeli officials regarding Egypt’s military activities in the Sinai Peninsula.
Sources with knowledge of the matter report that Israel has expressed concerns over Egypt’s expansion of military infrastructure, the large-scale deployment of troops, and the introduction of heavy weaponry in the region. Israeli defense officials have described these actions as excessive for counter-terrorism operations.
In response, the Egyptian government has firmly rejected these objections, calling them an infringement on Egypt’s sovereignty and an oversight of the legitimate security challenges it faces along its border. In a statement to international partners, Cairo emphasized that the military measures were a necessary response to the increasingly unstable security situation in Gaza.
“These security actions are non-negotiable elements of our national security strategy,” said a senior Egyptian defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Egyptian officials have reportedly informed U.S. representatives about plans to further strengthen military and security installations in northern and central Sinai. Sources indicate that some of these expansion projects are still in the planning phase, while others are already underway as part of a comprehensive border security plan.
Cairo has also voiced deep concerns about the humanitarian situation, warning that Israel’s restrictions on aid to Gaza could lead desperate civilians to seek refuge at Egypt’s border. Senior officials in Cairo are reportedly working on contingency plans in anticipation of a potential humanitarian crisis.
Cairo appears uninterested in invading Gaza or Israel. Instead, the deployment of tanks seems to be a show of force designed to prevent a large influx of Palestinian refugees from crossing into Egypt. Egypt likely fears that once these refugees are allowed in, they may not be allowed to return, which would leave Egypt responsible for them for a prolonged period, similar to what other countries hosting Palestinian refugees have faced.
Additionally, Egypt is concerned that such an influx could bring radical Islamists, posing a threat to the country’s already fragile secular political system.
Despite the growing tensions, diplomatic channels between the two countries remain active. “The peace treaty remains a pillar of regional stability,” said a political analyst based in Cairo. “While the disagreements are serious, they are being handled through established diplomatic channels.”
As of now, neither the Israeli Foreign Ministry nor Egypt’s Presidential Office has issued a formal statement regarding the exchange.
