On Monday, Israeli and Egyptian forces exchanged fire near the Rafah border crossing, resulting in the death of an Egyptian soldier. The incident began when an Egyptian soldier reportedly fired at Israeli troops operating near a tunnel on the border. The Israeli forces returned fire, which led to the fatality. No Israeli soldiers were injured during the exchange.
Following the clash, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) officials contacted their Egyptian counterparts to halt the gunfire and initiate a dialogue. Both countries’ militaries have stated that the incident is under investigation.Â
An Egyptian source emphasized to KAN News that neither nation desires an escalation of the situation. The source noted that such incidents have happened before without leading to significant conflicts. The Egyptian Armed Forces reiterated the need for the international community to address the broader security implications along the Gaza-Egypt border, including the flow of humanitarian aid.
The exchange of fire coincided with heightened tensions in the region. Just hours before the border incident, an Israeli airstrike targeted a Hamas compound in Rafah, killing two senior Hamas officials and multiple civilians.Â
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