Egypt deploys 40,000 troops to Sinai. What is Sisi worried about?

Egypt has deployed nearly 40,000 troops to North Sinai, more than double the number allowed under a 1979 peace treaty with Israel. A senior military official told Middle East Eye that the Egyptian army is on the highest level of combat training in years, under the direct orders of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The deployment comes amid concerns about Israel's planned invasion of Gaza and a potential mass exodus of Palestinians into Egyptian territory. The troops have been deployed in various areas of North Sinai, including "Area C" near the border.

Egypt has notified Israel of the additional forces, but the number of these forces and their presence in restricted areas have caused Tel Aviv to protest. According to the source, "The mobilization is defensive in nature, but it is also a sign that Egypt will respond decisively to any attack on its territory."

For your information, official Cairo does not want the Palestinians to be resettled on Egyptian territory. President Sisi previously said: "The resettlement of the Palestinians will never be accepted. The solution to the conflict is not to expel the Palestinian people from their land, but to keep them in their land."