Israel's war on Gaza: Satellite images show construction work on the Egyptian border

Satellite images appear to show extensive construction work underway along the Egyptian border with Gaza, which reports claim is being carried out in preparation to house Palestinian refugees.

Unnamed Egyptian sources reportedly said that work is underway to establish an isolated buffer zone containing a walled fence in Egypt's North Sinai Governorate in the event that Israel continues its planned ground offensive in the city of Rafah, located in the far south of Gaza.

According to a report published by a human rights group, seven-metre-high walls are being built in the area.

Egypt has publicly denied making any such preparations.

Defense Minister Yoav Galant also said that Israel “has no intention of evacuating Palestinian civilians to Egypt.”

Since the beginning of the Gaza war following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, Egypt has consistently said that it will not open its borders to refugees.

It has taken this position partly because it does not want to appear complicit in the large-scale displacement of Palestinians, but also because of economic and security concerns.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on launching a major attack in Rafah, where some 1.4 million people live, despite international warnings.

Israel claims that Hamas forces are present in the city and must be “eliminated.” It also believes Israeli hostages – 130 of whom are still missing – are being held there.

Ahead of the planned attack on Rafah, Israel directs civilians to move to open land north of the city.

Netanyahu has spoken vaguely about “the areas we cleared north of Rafah,” but indications are that planning is still at an early stage.

Israel had previously instructed the Palestinians to head to Rafah while fighting was continuing in the northern Gaza Strip at the beginning of its attack.

“We will fight until complete victory, and this includes strong action also in Rafah after we allow the civilian population to leave the combat areas,” Netanyahu said on Thursday.

The latest satellite images, released by Maxar Technologies, may indicate that Egypt has decided to take precautionary measures as a result of the impending attack.

In one photo, dated February 15, large areas of land near the Rafah crossing into Gaza appear to have been cleared.

The work appears to have been completed in the past few days, as can be seen when comparing the scene with a previous photo of the same area five days ago.

The Egyptian governor of North Sinai, Mohamed Shousha, told the Saudi Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath news channel on Thursday that the purpose of the activity in the region is to “conduct an inventory of homes” that were destroyed during the past Egyptian campaign against the Islamists. State group in the region.

Shousha added that Egypt's position is “not to allow the forced displacement of Gaza residents to Egypt.”

But satellite images taken on February 15 also show construction vehicles spread out along the road next to the cleared border area, some of which appear to be erecting a large wall.

In the close-up photo below, a vehicle can be seen next to the wall panels that appear to be sitting on the floor and ready to be added to the wall.

In addition to satellite images, photos and videos of the area taken and posted by members of the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights appear to show ongoing construction work.

The report also quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying that the construction is taking place with the aim of “receiving refugees from Gaza in the event of a mass exodus of the residents of the Strip.”