Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fuming over Egypt's move to deploy thousands of troops to the Sinai region amid the ongoing risk of the Gaza conflict spilling over.
Netanyahu has urged the United States to pressure Egypt to reduce the troop build-up. However, the Egyptian government has stated that they are only securing the border and will not reduce their forces in the Sinai Peninsula.
They emphasised that the deployment is consistent with the 1979 agreement and is aimed at protecting borders amid widening Israeli aggression in the region.
“The forces present in Sinai primarily aim to secure the Egyptian borders against all risks, including terrorism and smuggling, and this is carried out within prior coordination with the parties to the peace treaty,” Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS) said in a statement.
While the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel remain in place, the troop deployment in this region is highly contested.
According to the 1967 borders, the Sinai Peninsula is internationally recognised as Egyptian territory, although Israel took control and occupied it for a period during the war.
The territory was later returned to Egypt under the Camp David Accords, which prevent the mass build-up of troops by either country near the Sinai Peninsula.
Cairo has reaffirmed its support for the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
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However, Israel has backtracked on this agreement, continuing its seizure of Palestinian land in the West Bank and Gaza, despite promises to stop after the peace accords with Egypt.
“Israeli officials say the Egyptian military build-up in Sinai has become another significant point of tension between the countries as the war in Gaza continues.”
Following the recent Doha summit, Egypt has stated that it will do everything to protect its interests in the region, even if it means confronting Israel.
Meanwhile, the Israeli war in Gaza has killed more than 65,200 people since 7 October 2023. A UN independent commission report noted that the majority of victims in Gaza are civilians, including children and women.
Several nations have criticised Israel's conduct, claiming it violates the rules of engagement in warfare and that its forces are committing crimes against humanity at a genocidal level in the occupied enclave.
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