The threat to suspend the Camp David Accords, a cornerstone of regional stability for nearly a half-century, came after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said sending troops into Rafah was necessary to win the four-month war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Over half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million have fled to Rafah to escape fighting in other areas, and they are packed into sprawling tent camps and UN-run shelters near the border.
Egypt fears a mass influx of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who may never be allowed to return.
Humanitarian aid for Gazans enters the enclave via the Rafah border crossing. (EPA PHOTO)
The standoff between Israel and Egypt, two close US allies, took shape as aid groups warned that an offensive in Rafah would worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where around 80 per cent of residents have fled their homes and where the UN says a quarter of the population faces starvation.
Hamas' Al-Aqsa television station quoted an unnamed Hamas official as saying that any invasion of Rafah would "blow up" talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar aimed at achieving a cease-fire and the release of Israeli hostages.
Netanyahu, in an interview with the US' ABC News, suggested civilians in Rafah could flee north, saying there are "plenty of areas" that have been cleared by the army. He said Israel is developing a "detailed plan" to relocate them.
But Israel's offensive has caused widespread destruction, particularly in northern Gaza, and heavy fighting is still taking place in central Gaza and the southern city of Khan Younis.
In Gaza City on Sunday, the remaining residents covered decomposing bodies in the streets or carried bodies to graves.
Some streets were piled high with sand from bombings and smoke billowed from destroyed buildings.
A ground operation in Rafah could cut off one of the only avenues for delivering Gaza's badly needed food and medical supplies.
All three officials confirmed Egypt's threats, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief reporters on the sensitive negotiations.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other countries have also warned of severe repercussions if Israel goes into Rafah.
I echo the warning by several EU member states that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt. — Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) Resuming negotiations to free hostages and suspend hostilities is the only way to avert a bloodshed.February 10, 2024
"An Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt," European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X.
The White House, which has rushed arms to Israel and shielded it from international calls for a ceasefire, has also warned against a Rafah ground operation under current circumstances, saying it would be a "disaster" for civilians.
President Joe Biden told Netanyahu on Sunday that Israel should not launch a military operation in Rafah without a credible plan to ensure the safety of the roughly one million people sheltering there, the White House said.
Biden affirmed the United States' support for the long-term security of Israel, but also called for "urgent and specific steps" to increase humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, including a huge shipment of US flour that would feed 1.4 million Gazans for six months.
Israel and Egypt fought five wars before signing the Camp David Accords, a landmark peace treaty brokered by then-US President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s.
The White House said Biden and Netanyahu agreed to remain in close contact, but gave no date for a next possible call.
Biden will host Jordanian King Abdullah at the White House on Monday and has been closely engaged in the hostage release negotiations, the official said. US officials are also in close touch with regional officials and Egypt.
Health authorities in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, estimate more than 28,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in the region since the conflict began in October.
Palestinian health authorities say around 70 per cent of those who have been killed were women or children under 18. The World Health Organisation has described the Palestinian Health Ministry system for reporting casualties as "very good" and UN agencies regularly cite its death toll figures.
with Reuters
