Egypt’s Journalists Syndicate urges suspending Camp David Accords after Israeli statements on Sinai

CAIRO – 3 April 2025: Egypt’s Journalists Syndicate has condemned recent “provocative statements” made by Israeli officials regarding Sinai, urging a comprehensive review and immediate suspension of the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel.

An Israeli security source, quoted by Israeli media on Monday, expressed concerns over an alleged Egyptian military build-up in Sinai, claiming it exceeded the limits set by the peace agreement.

The source stated that Israel “will not accept” this situation, asserting that the US is responsible for upholding the peace agreement and ensuring its strict implementation.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call from US President Donald Trump on Tuesday#Egypt #Africa #MENAhttps://t.co/zr4wdngceJ

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) April 3, 2025

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Journalists Syndicate emphasized that the Israeli statements represent “a blatant violation of Egyptian sovereignty and the nation's right to enhance its military and defensive presence throughout its own national territory.”

It further described the remarks as “a desperate attempt to divert attention from the horrific crimes” committed by Israel against innocent civilians in Gaza, particularly in Rafah.

Protests Against Displacement

On Monday, coinciding with Eid Al-Fitr, Israel ordered around 140,000 residents to evacuate their homes in Rafah, located near the border with Egypt.

Israeli forces have been conducting extensive bombardments and ground operations in Gaza since 18 March, when Tel Aviv shattered a two-month ceasefire with Hamas, brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the US.

As Israel evacuates Rafah, millions of Egyptians on Monday protested against Israeli-US plans to displace Palestinian residents from Gaza, particularly towards Egypt and Jordan—proposals that both nations have categorically rejected.

Thousands of Egyptians gathered outside Mosques in North Sinai Governorate after the Eid al-Fitr prayer to protest in solidarity with the Palestinian cause and against the displacement of Palestinians from their territories.#مصر_ترفض_التهجير #Egypt #Palestine #MiddleEast… pic.twitter.com/pu2Bt5mhvc

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) March 31, 2025

Israel has maintained a military presence in Gaza, including control of the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egyptian border, undermining the nearly half-century-old peace treaty between the two countries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced this week that Israel is establishing a “second Philadelphi” corridor in Gaza, taking control of the “Morag axis,” which separates Rafah from Khan Younis.

The widespread protests in Egypt following Eid Al-Fitr prayers emphasized strong support for the Egyptian leadership’s rejection of attempts to displace Gaza residents and eradicate the Palestinian cause.

Condemning Rafah Evacuation

The Journalists Syndicate condemned the Israeli calls for the forced evacuation of Rafah and the renewed threats of displacement for Gaza's residents.

It warned that these actions are part of a continued brutal aggression that unjustly criminalizes unarmed civilians under false pretenses.

The syndicate described these statements and actions as “a cover for Israeli leaders to obscure the atrocities” committed by forces in Gaza and as efforts to thwart any ceasefire or just solutions.

It stressed that the situation in Gaza constitutes “a systematic genocide against a defenseless people,” necessitating immediate Arab and international action to “halt the massacres and hold the occupying leaders accountable as war criminals in international courts.”

The Government Media Office in Gaza reported that Israeli military operations have resulted in the deaths of more than 30,000 children and women since the war began, according to Cairo News Channel#Egypt #Africa #MENAhttps://t.co/sDUX5u6juk

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) April 3, 2025

The syndicate also holds the international community, particularly the United States and Europe, responsible for their “shameful complicity” in these crimes through ongoing political and military support for Israel.

It condemned “the disgraceful Arab silence” in the face of Israeli atrocities against Palestinians, which represents “one of the largest ethnic cleansing operations in modern history.”

Upholding Egyptian Sovereignty

The syndicate reiterated its support for all actions taken by Egyptian state institutions to assert national sovereignty over its borders in Sinai, firmly rejecting any plans for displacement.

It called for the immediate opening of all crossings for humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Since 18 March, Israeli forces have killed over 1,160 Palestinians in Gaza, the majority of whom are women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.

The ongoing war, which has claimed more than 50,500 lives since its onset in October 2023, is regarded as one of the bloodiest wars of the century.

Protecting Journalists

This war has also become the deadliest for media professionals, with 232 journalists and media workers reported killed, according to a recent report by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs’ Costs of War Project.

The syndicate called for the protection of Palestinian journalists who are risking their lives to report the truth and demanded accountability for Israel's deliberate targeting of the press.

BREAKING: More journalists have died in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023 than in both World Wars and other major wars, combined.

Our new report outlines the costs of war to journalists – and the journalism we all rely on. [THREAD, 1/8] https://t.co/oeeqPqw5i2 pic.twitter.com/gSXWYjtXSl

— The Costs of War Project (@CostsOfWar) April 1, 2025

As the syndicate warns against the continuation of these crimes, it urges all media and human rights organizations to expose Israeli practices and reveal the falsehood of the Israeli narrative.

It calls for urgent action from the United Nations Security Council to impose international sanctions on Israel and to end the international silence that enables ongoing aggression.

“It is time to confront this historical shame. The Palestinian people will not be displaced, and bloodshed will not go unaccounted for,” the syndicate stressed. “We will not allow war crimes to occur under the watchful eyes of the world.”