Egypt has confirmed its rejection of Israeli escalation in Rafah and has canceled a scheduled meeting between military officials from both sides, highlighting growing diplomatic tensions.
A senior Egyptian source conveyed Egypt’s firm opposition to Israeli actions in Rafah, located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, to mediators involved in the negotiations. The source emphasized that Cairo holds Israel responsible for the deteriorating situation in the area and for obstructing humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.
Israeli media had reported that Egyptian military officials abruptly canceled a meeting with their Israeli counterparts, signaling a deepening diplomatic crisis between Cairo and Tel Aviv.
In a related development, an Israeli diplomatic source described Egypt’s decision to support South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice as a “betrayal and a stab in the back,” according to i24NEWS. The source told the Israeli channel, “Egypt is stabbing us in the back at the International Court of Justice after our help in Sinai.”
This move has ignited further diplomatic tensions between Egypt and Israel. Cairo announced its support for the lawsuit filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice, which accuses Israel of committing acts of genocide in Gaza.
This decision has reportedly surprised Israeli officials, with the Israeli diplomatic source branding it as “betrayal,” as reported by the channel.
The ongoing developments mark a significant strain in Egypt-Israel relations, reflecting the complexities of geopolitical dynamics in the region.