Egyptian soldier killed in clashes with Israeli forces on Gaza border in Rafah

Two Egyptian security sources told Reuters that an Egyptian soldier stationed on a watchtower reacted when he saw an armored vehicle carrying Israeli troops crossing a line near the border while the soldiers pursued and killed several Palestinians.

The soldier opened fire and Israeli forces fired back, killing him, the sources said, which led to an exchange of fire between the two sides. Several Israeli soldiers were wounded and the troops retreated. One Egyptian was wounded, the sources said.

Later on Monday, Egypt warned against compromising the safety of its security forces, a senior source told Egyptian state-run Al Qahera News. Egypt will take the necessary measures to prevent a recurrence of such an incident, she added.

Earlier this month, Israeli troops began operations in the Rafah area of ​​the southern Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would attack the city because it was the last stronghold of the Iran-backed Islamist Hamas and several thousand fighters were stationed there.

The US and other countries fear mass casualties among the Palestinian civilian population in Rafah and have called on Israel to call off an attack.

These fears were heightened on Sunday evening when an Israeli airstrike killed at least 45 Palestinians in a camp for displaced people in northwest Rafah.

Governments around the world quickly condemned Israel for the attack. French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “outraged” while EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was “horrified.”

The United States and other countries have also expressed concern that an Israeli attack on Rafah could worsen relations with Egypt. The two Middle Eastern states signed a peace agreement in 1979 that is considered crucial for Israel’s security.

Egypt has been vocal about the war in Gaza and has repeatedly called on Israel to agree to a ceasefire.

Security incidents between the two countries were rare.

In October 2023, two weeks after the war in Gaza began, Israel said one of its tanks accidentally hit an Egyptian position near the Gaza border, and Egypt said several Egyptian border guards had suffered minor injuries.

In June 2023, three Israeli soldiers and an Egyptian security guard were killed in clashes at the border.

Additional reporting from Reuters