Egypt joins ICJ case against Israel as one official warns Rafah op puts peace at risk

With the IDF deepening its ground operations in Rafah, a senior Egyptian official told The Associated Press on Sunday that Cairo had lodged protests with Israel, the United States and European governments, warning that its peace treaty with Israel — a cornerstone of regional stability — was at high risk.

The news agency did not report any further comments from the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

At the same time, at a Cairo press conference with his Slovenian counterpart, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry sought to calm worries over the future of the peace deal.

“The peace agreement with Israel has been Egypt’s strategic choice for 40 years, and it represents a core pillar of peace in the region for peace and stability,” he said, adding that there are mechanisms for adjudicating violations of the agreement.

Nevertheless, later Sunday Egypt announced it would support South Africa’s ongoing lawsuit in the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.