Daily Alert Archives

Do Not Rely on Egypt or Any Arab State to Bring Security to Gaza

(Gatestone Institute) Khaled Abu Toameh - Since the Hamas-Israel war began on Oct. 7, 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have discovered 90 tunnels crossing under the border between Gaza and Egypt. The tunnels were used by Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups to smuggle rockets and weapons into Gaza. There may be additional tunnels that have not been discovered. The Egyptians chose to ignore the smuggling as long as the weapons were going into Gaza and not staying in Egyptian territory. After all, these weapons were being used against Israel, and did not pose any threat to Egypt's national security. In addition, Egyptian military and police officers apparently benefitted by accepting bribes. Yet by turning a blind eye to the massive smuggling, Egypt significantly contributed to transforming Gaza into a major base for Islamist terrorism, paving the way for the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Egypt does not care about the Palestinians or Israel. It only cares about its own interests, and that is why it would be a big mistake to rely on the Egyptians or any Arab state to bring security and stability to Gaza. The writer, a veteran Israeli journalist, is a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.
2025-07-08 00:00:00
Full Article