Egypt is building a new walled buffer zone more than 2 miles wide on Gaza border, satellite images show
Egypt is building a massive miles-wide buffer zone and wall along its border with southern Gaza, new satellite images show, as fears grow over Israel’s planned ground offensive in Rafah where more than half of Gaza’s population is sheltering. The images, taken in the past five days by Maxar Technologies, show a significant section of … The post Egypt is building a new walled buffer zone more than 2 miles wide on Gaza border, satellite images show appeared first on Egypt Independent.
Egypt is building a massive miles-wide buffer zone and wall along its border with southern Gaza, new satellite images show, as fears grow over Israel’s planned ground offensive in Rafah where more than half of Gaza’s population is sheltering.
The images, taken in the past five days by Maxar Technologies, show a significant section of Egyptian territory between a roadway and the Gaza border has been bulldozed.
If the buffer zone — which stretches from the end of the Gaza border to the Mediterranean Sea — is completed, it will completely engulf the Egyptian-Rafah border crossing complex.
At the actual border, multiple cranes can be seen laying sections of wall.
Additional satellite imagery reviewed by CNN shows that bulldozers arrived on site on February 3, and the initial excavation of the buffer zone began on February 6.
There has been a significant uptick in excavation in the last five days.
Videos released by the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights show construction of the border wall, which they claim is five meters (16 feet) high.
The organization, a non-governmental human rights group made up of activists, researchers and journalists, said that two local contractors told them that it was commissioned by the Egyptian armed forces.
CNN has reached out to the Egyptian government for comment on the buffer zone and wall construction.
The construction comes as fears grow that the already horrific humanitarian situation in Gaza will worsen, causing thousands of deaths and a mass exodus of Palestinians to Egypt’s border.
All eyes are on Rafah, situated along the new buffer zone, where nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are crammed into a massive tent city.
The post Egypt is building a new walled buffer zone more than 2 miles wide on Gaza border, satellite images show appeared first on Egypt Independent.
What's Your Reaction?