Egypt alarmed by Israeli influx into Sinai amid double standards accusations

Egypt has quietly stepped up security measures in South Sinai, as Israelis have started crossing into the province in increasing numbers early last week through the Taba border with Israel to flee the conflict with Iran.  

Thousands of foreign nationals, including diplomats and international staff, have crossed into Egypt through the border in recent days, aiming to fly out of Sharm el-Sheikh Airport to destinations around the world, in coordination with their governments, Israel and Egypt.

However, thousands more Israelis have remained in South Sinai, hoping to return home once the situation stabilises.

On Tuesday morning, a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran, announced the night before by US President Donald Trump, went into effect.

The situation has sparked accusations of double standards after the Egyptian government blocked convoys attempting to reach the Gaza Strip to break Israel's total siege, with activists facing violent attacks.

Egyptian security sources, who spoke to Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity, said the unforeseen arrival of Israeli nationals, in specific, has raised the alert level. 

Police and army reinforcements have been sent to strengthen security in and around the towns of Taba, Dahab, Nuweiba and the city of Sharm el-Sheikh. 

“The authorities are worried that any incitement or attack against an Israeli in Egypt could harm tourism, threaten domestic stability, or worsen the country’s already tense relations with Israel,” a senior security official told MEE. 

This influx of Israelis follows a significant drop in tourism since Israel started its assault on the Gaza Strip in October 2023 that has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians.  

Espionage fears loom 

Security sources expressed concerns that Israeli intelligence agencies, such as the Mossad and Shin Bet, are likely to exploit the increase in border crossings to covertly insert their agents into Egypt. 

“If their operatives make it to Cairo or Alexandria [Egypt’s second largest city], they could easily conduct surveillance operations or contact collaborators under the guise of tourism,” an intelligence source told MEE. 

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“There’s no way to monitor them all. If even one Israeli operative sets up a new cell in Egypt, the ramifications can be serious.” 

If the ceasefire fails and the conflict continues, experts say the impact of the Israeli influx into Egypt will become more evident over time, with unofficial estimates suggesting up to 100,000 Israelis could cross the border within two weeks.

“We don't mind Egypt being a transit point for Israelis heading to Europe or the United States. But their presence in Egypt in large numbers and unsupervised poses a serious risk to the country’s national security,” one senior security analyst told MEE. 

“Currently, Egyptian authorities are trying to manage a delicate balance: handling public outcry, maintaining fragile diplomacy with Israel, and avoiding any conflict that could destabilise the country’s strategic Red Sea border.”

The situation has been closely observed by the country’s president to ensure full cooperation of security agencies.

“We have been instructed by high commands to facilitate everything possible for their stay as per direct orders by the presidency and top security agencies,” a senior security official explained.

“Updates are being sent to President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi in person around the clock due to the sensitivity of the situation and Cairo’s aim to avoid any incident that could fuel public opinion or jeopardise ties.” 

A long-term stay ahead? 

According to tourism sources in South Sinai, many of the Israelis arriving in Taba came in private vehicles, some by bicycle or even on foot. They have already filled most hotels and house rentals. 

“Hotels near the border crossing have witnessed the highest occupancy rates in recent days,” a hotel worker in Taba told MEE. 

'If their operatives make it to Cairo or Alexandria, they could easily conduct surveillance operations or contact collaborators'

- Intelligence source

Under the 1979 Peace Treaty, Israelis can enter South Sinai without a visa and stay for up to 14 days. This has long facilitated tourist traffic. 

The worker shared that he and his colleagues were instructed by security personnel not to discuss any issues related to Israeli guests. 

“It doesn’t matter how they behave or what they do; we have been told to be tolerant and keep quiet, not even tell our families what we hear or see,” the worker said.

Located just south of the Israeli city of Eilat, the Taba border is the only operational crossing, which opened in 1982, for tourists between the two countries.

Israel occupied Taba following Egypt’s defeat in the 1967 Middle East War until former president Hosni Mubarak reclaimed the city through international arbitration in 1989, making it the final piece of the Sinai peninsula to be handed back to Egypt. Mubarak was overthrown decades later by a revolution in 2011. 

While many of the recent arrivals are believed to be seeking temporary refuge, the possibility of a longer-term stay raises alarms in Cairo. 

Egyptian law prohibits foreign ownership of property in Sinai, but observers worry this rule might be bypassed through informal arrangements.

Aid blocked, Israelis welcomed 

The recent influx of Israelis into South Sinai has led to widespread anger among Egyptians and increased resentment toward their country's normalisation and official ties with Tel Aviv. 

Though Egypt and Israel have maintained peace since signing a US-sponsored treaty in 1979, the relationship remains unpopular among the general Egyptian public. 

Egypt’s stance has led to accusations of double standards and hypocrisy.

Last week, hundreds of international activists attempting to march to the Gaza Strip through Egypt as part of the Global March to Gaza were violently attacked, detained, and subsequently deported. They were among 4,000 activists from 80 countries who sought to break Israel’s total siege, in place since early March.

“It’s outrageous that Israelis can walk into Sinai, but activists carrying medicine and food supplies for Palestinians in distress are turned away,” one activist in Cairo, who requested anonymity for safety concerns, told MEE.