Egypt warns Israel to pay a heavy price for attacking Rafah

Egyptian officials have raised the possibility of downgrading relations with Israel if the neighboring country's army advances in full force against the city of Rafah.



"We are ready to consider all options, including the possibility of downgrading relations. However, we have not yet made a final decision. Egypt is talking to Israel, trying to explain its position and seeking consensus," the Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told CNN on May 15 about the possibility of retaliating against Israel if its military launches an all-out attack on the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

He said talks between Cairo and Tel Aviv about developments in Rafah were "not going well," so the Egyptian government "warned Israel that it would pay a heavy price" if it insisted on attacking.

Over the past week, observers say the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have massed enough forces near the city of Rafah to launch an all-out ground operation in Hamas' last stronghold in the Gaza Strip.

The IDF deployed ground troops and tanks to gradually close the siege, take control of the Rafah crossing on the Gaza side and intensify attacks in the city. Fullscreen button

Tel Aviv says Hamas has at least three battalions in the Egyptian border city. The Israeli leadership is aiming to completely destroy Hamas' military capabilities and track down the leadership of the group's military wing, believing they are hiding in Rafah.

The developments in Rafah have increased tensions between Israel and Egypt. Israel's Foreign Ministry this week accused Egypt of unilaterally closing the Rafah crossing, preventing humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry hit back at Israel's "distortion of the truth", accusing its neighbour of abdicating responsibility in an "unprecedented humanitarian crisis". Shoukry explained that Egypt temporarily closed the border crossing because it could not guarantee the safety of aid vehicles against "indiscriminate attacks over the past 7 months from Israel on Palestinian civilians."

Egyptian media in recent weeks have accused Israel of unilaterally violating the 1979 peace treaty by deploying troops close to the border in Rafah and entering the demilitarized zone under the accord. Israeli officials are worried that Egypt will pull out of ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip because of fighting in Rafah


"Relations with Egypt are at their worst point since the outbreak of hostilities. In the early stages, the Egyptian side was sympathetic to Israel's position. Now, they are deliberately obstructing and forcing Israel to unilaterally end the operation," the Israeli official told Haaretz.