Watan-The Israeli Army Radio revealed new details about the exchange of fire incident with the Egyptian army that resulted in the martyrdom of an Egyptian soldier.
According to the radio, Israel has clear documentation of the incident, in which an Egyptian soldier is seen firing at the Israeli army forces.
It added that the video might also be shared with the Egyptian side as part of a joint investigation. According to their claim, only one Egyptian soldier fired in the incident, no one else.
It indicated that the Egyptian soldier stood at a high point near the Philadelphia Axis, where he monitored the army forces from a close distance of about 100-200 meters and opened fire.
The report mentioned that there were numerous discussions between officials in the Israeli army, the Shin Bet, and their Egyptian counterparts, with attempts to keep the incident out of the spotlight.
There is reportedly a mutual understanding between the two sides, who are trying to resolve the incident quietly.
Martyrdom of an Egyptian Recruit
The Egyptian Armed Forces spokesman had stated that the armed forces are conducting an investigation through the competent authorities regarding the shooting incident in the border area of Rafah, which resulted in the martyrdom of one of the security personnel.
إعلام عبري| تفاصيل جديدة حول حادثة تبادل إطلاق النار بين قوات الجيش “#الإسرائيلي” والجيش #المصري:
1. لدى “إسرائيل” توثيق واضح للحادثة، شوهد فيه جندي مصري وهو يطلق النار على قوات الجيش ومن المحتمل أن يتم نقل الفيديو أيضًا إلى الجانب المصري في إطار التحقيق المشترك، ولم يُطلق… pic.twitter.com/iso9YyGljh
— وكالة قدس برس (@QudsPress) May 28, 2024
Egyptian Narrative Raises Doubts
In a narrative that raised widespread skepticism, an Egyptian security source told the “Cairo News” channel, affiliated with the intelligence service, that initial investigations indicate an exchange of fire between Israeli occupation forces and Palestinian resistance elements.
The source added that this led to gunfire in multiple directions, prompting the Egyptian security personnel to take protective measures and deal with the source of the fire.
The security source clarified that the international community should bear its responsibilities regarding the dangers of escalating tensions on the Egyptian border with Gaza and the Philadelphia Axis, not only for security reasons but also for the flow of humanitarian aid.
Israeli Narrative of the Incident
In contrast, the Israeli army had earlier stated that it was investigating reports of an exchange of fire between Israeli and Egyptian soldiers.
The Israeli narrative described the incident as an exchange of fire, countering the alleged Egyptian narrative reported by “Cairo News.”
The Israeli army added in a statement, “A shooting incident occurred on the Egyptian border. The incident is under review, and discussions are ongoing with the Egyptians.”
#عاجل| مصدر أمني مطلع: التحقيقات الأولية لحادث إطلاق النيران واستشهاد جندي على الحدود تشير إلى إطلاق النيران بين عناصر من قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلى وعناصر من المقاومة الفلسطينية.. أدت إلى إطلاق النيران فى عدة اتجاهات وقيام عنصر التأمين المصري باتخاذ إجراءات الحماية والتعامل مع… pic.twitter.com/RR6AgIeB1U
— القاهرة الإخبارية – AlQahera News (@Alqaheranewstv) May 27, 2024
Israeli Control of Rafah Crossing
The Israeli army had taken control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing this month, intensifying its military aggression in the area.
This sparked criticism from Egypt, which had earlier called on the occupation to exercise maximum restraint and avoid the long-term brinkmanship policy that could threaten the arduous efforts to achieve a sustainable truce in the Gaza Strip.
The Philadelphia Axis, the border strip between Egypt and Gaza, has been a significant concern for Egyptian decision-makers in recent times. There are fears about the scenarios the occupation might impose on this axis, especially given the close proximity between the Egyptian army and the occupation army.
This situation has prompted Egypt to warn multiple times against the occupation army’s incursion into the city of Rafah for several reasons, the most important being the presence of hundreds of thousands of displaced people in the city who might move towards Sinai, as well as the potential threat to Egyptian security if Israel occupies the Philadelphia Axis.