An Egyptian soldier was killed Monday during a firefight at the Rafah border crossing, stoking fears of a potential escalation in tensions with Israel.
The Egyptian Armed Forces said it was investigating the “shooting incident” that “led to the martyrdom of one of the personnel.”
Although the statement did not mention Israel, the Jewish state’s military had earlier confirmed it was investigating reports of an exchange of fire between Israeli and Egyptian soldiers.
“The incident is under review and discussions are being held with the Egyptians,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
The deadly gun battle appeared to have started with a shootout “between Israeli forces and members of the Palestinian resistance, which led to shooting in several directions,” a high-level source later told Egypt’s state-linked Al Qahera News.
Egyptian security personnel had reacted to that exchange of gunfire, leading to the death of one of them, claimed the source, who said Egypt would take steps to make sure it could not be repeated.
Egypt had already criticized Israel for its incursion into the key border crossing area of Rafah as it stepped up its military offensive on Gaza to eradicate Hamas in response to the terrorist slaughter on Oct. 7.
Those tensions were further escalated Monday as Hamas-run health officials claimed at least 45 Palestinians — including displaced people living in tents that were engulfed by fire — were killed in Rafah strikes.
In a speech before his parliament Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed it on a “tragic mistake” and said Israel was investigating.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry called the strike on Tel al-Sultan a “new and blatant violation of the rules of humanitarian international law.”
Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1979 and have cooperated closely on security issues around the borders between Israel, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, and the Gaza Strip. They jointly upheld a blockade of Gaza after Hamas took control of the territory in 2007.
Security incidents between the two countries have been rare.
In October 2023, two weeks after Israel retaliated against Hamas, one of its tanks accidentally hit an Egyptian position near the border with Gaza, and Egypt said several Egyptian border guards sustained minor injuries.
With Post wires
