The Egyptian and Israeli armies confirmed that an exchange of fire took place – today, Monday – at the border separating them in the Rafah crossing area, in a rare incident that raises questions about its effects and repercussions.
While the two sides briefly acknowledged the shooting incident in the border area between them, Israeli media confirmed that at least one person was killed on the Egyptian side as a result of the exchange of gunfire this morning between the two sides.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority and Maariv newspaper reported that an Egyptian soldier was killed and others were wounded on the Egyptian side, in an exchange of fire between the Israeli army and Egyptian soldiers at the Rafah crossing.
The broadcasting authority also said that there were no casualties among Israeli army soldiers after an exchange of fire with Egyptian forces.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that the military censorship allowed publication of an exchange of fire between the Israeli and Egyptian armies at the Rafah crossing, after it had banned it when the first news about it came.
When and how did the accident happen?
According to the Israeli army, the incident occurred today, specifically the past few hours, but Israeli sources have not yet revealed the period during which the shooting continued between the two sides.
Israeli media confirm that the Egyptian side was the one who started the shooting, as reported by Occupation Army Radio and others.
Israeli Channel 14 reported that Egyptian soldiers opened fire on Israeli soldiers inside the Rafah crossing, without causing any casualties.
However, Israeli media said that Egyptian security opened fire on an Israeli truck, and Israeli soldiers responded with gunfire, leading to casualties.
Israeli media initially indicated that the army forces responded with fire as a warning, but they later confirmed that a “clash” or exchange of fire had occurred between the two sides, which led to the death of at least one Egyptian soldier.
The occupation army radio confirmed that the exchange of fire with the Egyptian forces took place with weapons without the participation of tanks, and that the Israeli forces participating in the exchange of fire were from the 401st Armored Brigade.
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Confession after hours
Initially, there were leaks about the incident through Israeli newspapers, before the occupation army officially announced that shooting had taken place between affiliated soldiers and Egyptian forces at the Rafah land crossing separating the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
The Israeli army said today that it was investigating reports of an exchange of fire between its soldiers and Egyptians near the Rafah border crossing with Gaza.
The army added in a statement, “A few hours ago (today, Monday), a shooting incident occurred on the Egyptian border. It is under review, and there are ongoing discussions with the Egyptians.”
Later, the Egyptian military spokesman, Colonel Staff Colonel Gharib Abdel Hafez, announced that an investigation had been conducted by the competent authorities into the shooting incident in the border area in Rafah.
The Egyptian military spokesman said in a statement, “The armed forces are conducting investigations through the competent authorities into the shooting incident in the Rafah border area, which led to the martyrdom of one of the personnel in charge of insurance.”
Victims
The Egyptian side confirmed “the martyrdom of one of the personnel in charge of insurance” in the border area, while the Israeli army did not speak of any casualties during the incident.
While several Israeli media outlets confirmed the killing of an Egyptian soldier, some reported that two were killed on the Egyptian side, along with other wounded.
Occupation Army Radio claimed that there were no Israeli casualties in the exchange of fire with Egyptian forces at the Rafah crossing.
What then?
Officially, the Egyptian and Israeli armies confirmed that they were investigating what happened. The Egyptian military spokesman said that the armed forces are “conducting an investigation by the competent authorities into the shooting incident in the Rafah border area, which led to the martyrdom of one of the personnel in charge of insurance.”
On the Israeli side, the occupation army confirmed that an investigation is underway into the incident, and that there is communication with the Egyptians regarding it.
Israeli Channel 12 quoted the occupation army as saying that an independent body would investigate the exchange of fire with the Egyptian side.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper quoted an Israeli official as saying that what happened between the two armies at the Rafah crossing was an unfortunate incident, and that a calm dialogue was taking place between senior officials in Israel and Egypt about the incident.
Context of the incident
This event comes in the context of tension in relations between Cairo and Tel Aviv, since Israel invaded the Rafah crossing on May 7th.
Today, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi warned of the dangers of the Israeli operation in the city of Rafah in the far south of the Gaza Strip on the border with his country.
This came during his reception of a delegation of members of the US Congress from both the Democratic and Republican parties, headed by Senator Jerry Moran, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and in the presence of Major General Abbas Kamel, head of Egyptian intelligence, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.
Al-Sisi’s warning comes hours after 45 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured, most of them children and women, in a bombing that targeted displaced persons’ tents in the Tal al-Sultan area northwest of Rafah and neighboring areas, despite the Israeli army’s claim that they are among the safe areas and people can move to them.
The Egyptian President stressed the need to intensify efforts to contain the situation and stop the war, in order to put an end to the ongoing humanitarian tragedy experienced by the people of the Gaza Strip and prevent the expansion and spread of the conflict.
He stressed the risks resulting from Israeli military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah, and their humanitarian and security repercussions.
Sisi also stressed the need for serious international engagement in implementing the two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, as a path to achieving justice, peace and security for all the peoples of the region.
Echoes and repercussions
The news of an exchange of fire between the Egyptian army and the Israeli army at the Rafah crossing sparked widespread reactions within the Egyptian and Israeli streets.
Activists recalled the martyr Egyptian soldier, Mohamed Salah, who carried out the operation in which three Israeli soldiers were killed at a guard point near the Al-Awja crossing, last year, pointing out that his audacity to plan and set out alone might inspire soldiers like him who do not accept the genocide that is happening on the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian media figures believed that Cairo would respond decisively to any attempt to harm its national security or seek to push the Palestinians into “forced displacement.”
On the Israeli side, activists demanded canceling the peace treaty with Egypt and preparing for war with it, against the backdrop of Egyptian soldiers firing at the Israeli army at the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, while others warned of the loss of “the largest Arab ally.”
Although no official Egyptian sources have yet confirmed this news, and no Egyptian parties have yet spoken about the repercussions and effects of what happened regarding the relations between the two parties, the news received wide reactions from Israeli bloggers, some of whom called for “starting a pre-emptive strike and re-establishing… Sinai to Israel, because Egypt is an enemy state.”
Israeli blogger Amishav Millet said, “It is time to remove the mask from the peace agreement.”
As for the blogger “Gog and Magog,” he accused former Prime Minister Menachem Begin of stupidity, saying, “You are a stupid and failed prime minister. Look what you did to us. We are left without Sinai, and we are also stuck in Gaza, and the Egyptian army is strengthening its power in the Sinai Peninsula, and the peace agreement will be canceled.” “Sooner or later…there will be war in the end.”
On the other hand, another said, “We are losing the best Arab ally, Egypt,” while Tzachi said, “Egypt was and will remain an enemy forever.”
Source : Tel Aviv Tribune + Agencies + Israeli press