Egyptian sources deny reports of a ground operation on Egypt’s border with Gaza

CAIRO – 23 December 2023: Egyptian well-informed sources have denied Israeli reports that a ground operation involving Israeli tanks has commenced from Kerm Abu Salem crossing to the Philadelphi corridor along Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Ynetnews has mentioned alleged tensions between Egypt and Israel as the Israeli occupation’s forces have launched operations in the Philadelphi corridor, which lies on the Egyptian-Gazan border and includes the Rafah border crossing.

The corridor constitutes a buffer zone between Egypt’s Sinai and Gaza, patrolled by Egyptian security forces.

Egypt has strongly opposed Israel’s ground operations since the start of the war in Gaza and has called for a sustainable ceasefire in the strip, which is suffering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises due to the Israeli strikes.

Egypt, which has delivered thousands of tons of humanitarian aid coming from its organizations as well as the world countries, has also complained about the Israeli strikes on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing that previously hindered aid delivery efforts.

On Friday, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said more than 20,000 people have been killed and more than 50,000 people were injured in the Israeli attacks. The ministry has mentioned that two-thirds of the dead are women and children.