Why Israel’s impending Rafah offensive is testing ties with Egypt

Egypt fears Israel won’t allow Palestinians back into Gaza while a refugee exodus will burden its ailing economy.

Egypt was the first Arab country to establish diplomatic ties with Israel back in 1979 following the Camp David Accords. But Israel’s war on Gaza has strained ties between the two countries.

Now, Israel’s planned ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah is heightening those tensions, at a time when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fleeing months-long Israeli bombardment have sought refuge in Rafah.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Monday denied reports Cairo had any plans to back out of the 1979 peace deal, but added that his country would adhere to the treaty as long as it was “reciprocal”.

Here’s more about why Israel’s Rafah offensive is so critical to the relationship between Egypt and Israel.

Israel’s planned ground assault on Rafah threatens to intensify pressure on displaced Palestinians to move into Egypt’s Sinai – a development Egyptian officials have declared would cross a red line.