Egyptian officials have made numerous requests for assistance from the US amidst ongoing negotiations concerning the war in Gaza.
These requests include significant funding and security equipment. Five officials from Egypt, the US, and Israel, whose identities were not disclosed by Politico, shared that Cairo has sought additional support from the US in recent months.
This support includes financing and new military equipment such as security systems and radar, aimed at securing the border with Gaza in anticipation of an Israeli ground operation in Rafah.
The requests come as American officials engage with counterparts in Qatar, Egypt, and Israel to develop a roadmap that could eventually lead to a ceasefire. This plan would allow for the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
As part of these discussions, Israel has indicated its intent to expel Hamas militants from the southern part of the Gaza Strip through a ground operation in Rafah, a region from which about one million Palestinians have been displaced.
For a long time, Washington has provided Egypt with substantial military and non-military aid. However, this aid has recently drawn domestic criticism in the U.S. due to Egypt’s human rights record.
The conflict erupted following an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, resulting in over 1,160 deaths, mostly civilians, including women and children, according to Israeli figures.
Approximately 250 people were kidnapped during the attack, around 130 of whom remain hostages in Gaza. It is believed that 34 of the hostages have died, reports Agence France-Presse.
In response to the attack by Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., Israel vowed to “eliminate” Hamas and launched a devastating military operation in the Gaza Strip.
This operation, which began on October 27, has led to the deaths of over 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Despite global leaders warning of an Israeli incursion into Rafah on the Egypt border, home to 1.5 million people, most of them displaced, Israel insists the operation is “necessary” to achieve its war objectives.
In January, Egypt issued a stern statement warning Israel of a “serious and real” threat to their bilateral relations should Israel proceed with the “occupation” of the Philadelphia Corridor, a buffer zone established by the 1979 peace agreement between Egypt and Israel.
This area, also known as the Salah al-Din Axis, spans 14 kilometers, and any Israeli military action there requires Egyptian consent as per the peace treaty.
Egyptian officials expressed concerns that an intervention in Rafah would inevitably force hundreds of thousands of Gaza residents to flee southward to the border, potentially attempting to cross into Egypt.
Officials are particularly worried about the possibility of Hamas militants entering Sinai, a region that has long harboured extremists responsible for attacks.
Officials told Politico that the additional funding and equipment requested by Egypt would aid its military in managing the potential influx of Gaza residents at its border.
