A source told the newspaper that Egypt had conveyed a harsh message to Israel, saying that "if even one Palestinian refugee crosses over — the peace agreement will be nullified."
Another source reportedly said Cairo's message was that "even if one Egyptian refugee crosses over — the peace agreement will be suspended."
No country would allow such a large number of Palestinian refugees to enter its territory, one of the sources reportedly said, adding that it would become "a permanent Egyptian problem."
The Egypt–Israel peace treaty was signed in Washington in 1979. The treaty included an end to the state of war, mutual recognition, normalization of relations, and a gradual complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and civilians from Sinai to the international border. The agreement made Egypt the first Arab state to officially recognize Israel.
On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 27,300 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.