"Israel's Pledge to Confront Hamas to Gaza's Southern Border Sparks Tension with Egypt"

Israel's military offensive against Hamas in Gaza is causing tension with Egypt as it seeks to widen its operations to the southern town of Rafah and take control of the demilitarized Philadelphi Corridor on the border with Egypt. Egypt warns that any Israeli move in this direction will seriously threaten Egyptian-Israeli relations and could lead to a massive wave of Palestinians fleeing into the Sinai Peninsula. The dispute puts Israel in a dilemma as it risks undermining its peace deal with Egypt and upsetting its closest ally, the United States, while also facing opposition to its efforts to create a buffer zone in Gaza.