Egypt Denies Claims of Israeli Military Aircraft Entering Egyptian Territory

Egypt strongly denies circulating claims that an Israeli military aircraft has entered Egyptian territory more than 100 times since 7 October 2023.

Multiple news sources, such as Lebanon Debate and the Arabic Post, recently reported on 23 February that an Israeli plane trespassed into Egyptian territory.

The Israeli warplane, identified as BOEING 707-300, entered Egyptian lands around a hundred times since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

The Israeli Air Force model, BOEING 707-300, is usually operated by the Israeli army, and it has its own distinctive identifier code and a flight tracker. There are records showing its extensive flights, crossing approximately 172 kilometers of Egyptian territory from the Gaza border before returning to the occupied area, according to the Arabic Post.

This specific aircraft model is used by military forces. It is capable of performing various missions and surveillance, according to the American company, All Clear, which specializes in maintenance and operation services for military aircraft.

Egypt refuted these reports and claims, on 24 February, stating that no Israeli aircraft had breached its airspace. “There is no basis for these claims,” stated an unnamed security source to Egypt’s Al-Qahera News TV.

Amidst the ever-changing geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East, these allegations shake the delicate relationship between Egypt and Israel, in the backdrop of the Hamas-Israeli war.

Since signing a peace accord in 1979, Egypt has continued to preserve a fragile equilibrium amidst repeated outbreaks of violence and played an important role as a mediator in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for over 50 years.

Such allegations and claims exacerbate tensions in the intricate relationship between Israel and the Middle East, especially since Egypt has been reiterating efforts to broker a ceasefire.