By Taghreed Saadeh
On the morning of May 7, 2024, the relationship between Egypt and Israel entered a dangerous new phase when Israeli occupation forces announced full control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, following their military incursion into the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.
This unilateral move brought back into focus the most severe crisis of trust and security coordination between Cairo and Tel Aviv since the signing of the Camp David Accords more than four decades ago.
The Israeli action provoked strong anger from Egypt, which considered the presence of the Israeli military at the crossing gate a violation of Palestinian sovereignty and a blatant infringement on Egypt’s established role as a mediator in humanitarian aid and ceasefire efforts.
Despite international and regional pressure, Egypt refused to reopen the crossing from its side, stressing that it would not participate in managing a crossing now under Israeli military control-an action it views as a tool to enforce siege and starvation against the population.
The closure of the crossing led to a near-total paralysis in the delivery of humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis for civilians, particularly the displaced, the wounded, and those suffering from chronic illnesses.
While Israel blamed Egypt for the delay in aid delivery, Cairo responded by accusing Tel Aviv of attempting to impose new facts on the ground, effectively turning Gaza into an open-air prison with no sovereign access point for Palestinians.
Israel’s move was not merely a military operation-it carried clear political messages to Egypt: reducing Cairo’s historic role as a broker between Hamas and Israel, testing Egypt’s regional alliances amid its recent rapprochement with Russia and Iran, and pressuring it to accept plans for the displacement or resettlement of Gaza’s population. The move also posed an implicit threat to the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, which stipulates that Israel should have no direct control over the Rafah crossing.
In response, Egypt’s reaction was unusually firm compared to previous years, including heightened military activity in the Sinai Peninsula and a suspension of direct communication with Israel over the crossing issue.
Rafah is no longer just a border checkpoint-it has become a symbol of the struggle over sovereignty and the Palestinian right to self-determination.
While Egypt insists it will not bow to Israeli dictates, Israel seeks to entrench itself as the sole security authority in Gaza, even if it comes at the cost of damaging its relationship with its most important regional partner.
Israeli media have expressed growing concerns about Egypt’s military buildup in Sinai, alleging that some movements violate the security annex of the Camp David Accords. Cairo, for its part, justifies its troop deployments as part of its counterterrorism strategy, and categorically rejects Israeli oversight or interference in its sovereign territory, further escalating diplomatic tensions.
If Israel continues to impose its will by force, the Camp David Accords themselves may face an unprecedented political rupture. Cairo appears to be seriously reconsidering the future of its relationship with Israel—especially as the cost of compliance begins to outweigh its benefits.
43 Total Count
