Israel’s announced offensive in Rafah is apparently having its first consequences. According to media reports, Egypt is preparing for a mass exodus from the Gaza Strip. The government is building a huge camp in the Sinai desert, surrounded by high concrete walls.
The camp can accommodate more than 100,000 people in tents, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing Egyptian officials and security analysts.
For weeks, Egypt has been trying to increase security along the Gaza border with soldiers, fences and armored vehicles to prevent a rush of desperate Palestinians to the Sinai Peninsula. The planned camp is part of a contingency plan in case a large number of Palestinians manage to escape.
Denial from Egypt
The governor of Egypt’s North Sinai region on Thursday denied initial reports of the construction of a potential refugee camp for Palestinians, saying the activities in the area were part of an inventory of houses built during Egypt’s latest military campaign against Islamic State. extremists in the area were devastated. had been said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently ordered his country’s military to present plans for an offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which borders Egypt, and for the evacuation of civilians there. It’s about destroying the last Hamas fighting units.
The largest dead end in the world
According to the UN, about 1.3 million people live in Rafah. Most fled there from other parts of the Gaza Strip before the war, some on orders from the Israeli army. In the event of a large influx of Palestinians from Gaza, Egypt would ideally try to limit the number of refugees to about 50,000 to 60,000, although the new desert camp of about 20 square kilometers would accommodate more than 100,000 refugees, the newspaper said.
This approximately corresponds to the population of Villach. The planned camp was said to be far from Egyptian settlements. A large number of tents have already been brought there but have not yet been set up, the newspaper quoted Egyptian officials as saying.
Criticism of the planned offensive
Israel’s planned military offensive in Rafah is facing growing international criticism. According to the Wall Street Journal, Egypt has even threatened to end its peace treaty with Israel if an influx of Palestinians from Gaza crosses the border.
If Israel decides to launch the offensive, the army will try to move the civilian population north – out of the combat zone but inside the Gaza Strip – the newspaper quoted a senior Israeli military official as saying.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
