SINAI/RAFAH: Satellite images on Thursday showed an area that sources said Egypt is preparing near the Gaza border to accommodate Palestinians if Israel’s Rafah offensive triggers an exodus across the border.
Egypt, which has denied making such preparations, has repeatedly warned of the possibility that Israel’s devastating offensive in Gaza could push Palestinians into the Sinai – something Cairo says would be totally unacceptable – echoing warnings from Arab states such as Jordan .
The United States has repeatedly stated that it will oppose any displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.
Israel said it would launch an offensive to capture Hamas’ “last bastion” in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have sought refuge from a devastating offensive in Gaza.
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Satellite images also showed a long line of parked trucks on the Egyptian side of the border as the United Nations said on Wednesday that aid from Egypt had all but dried up in the past two weeks.
According to UN data, the daily average dropped to just 57 trucks from February 9 to February 20. Seven of those twelve days saw 20 or fewer trucks pass, including just four on February 17.
Supplies through the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza have been almost completely halted, the UN said.
