Egypt on Sunday signed an agreement with Israel to strengthen its security forces at the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military announced on Monday.
Senior officials from the Israeli army and Egyptian Armed Forces arrived at the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheik in Egypt's Sinai to participate in bilateral talks in a rare public meeting.
2 View gallery
Israeli and Egyptian officials meet in Sinai to discuss Egyptian troop deployments on the peninsula
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
"During the committee meeting, an amendment was signed on an agreement regulating the presence of security forces in the Rafah area, in favor of increasing the security presence of the Egyptian Armed Forces in that area. The amendment was approved by the State Security Cabinet," the Israeli statement said.
The Joint Military Committee was established as part of the historic peace treaty signed between Israel and Egypt at the White House in 1979 and holds regular meetings to coordinate military and defense issues.
The Israeli army delegation was led by head of the Operations Directorate, Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk, head of the Strategic Planning and Cooperation Directorate, Maj. Gen. Tal Kelman, and head of the International Cooperation Division, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin.
Rafah is the only crossing between Egypt and the Palestinian enclave.
Both Egypt and Israel have maintained a blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas took power there in 2007.
2 View gallery
Palestinian security forces stand guard at the Rafah border crossing to Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip
(Photo: AFP)
Since Israel's new government was sworn in over the summer, security coordination between the two countries has been more public.
Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel is expected to visit Jerusalem at the end of the month for his second visit to the Jewish state since Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took office.
According to Egyptian sources, the spymaster will present Bennett with a proposal for an outline for a prisoner swap agreement, which Hamas agreed to.
Kamel will also present the Egyptian view of the necessary relief for the Gaza Strip, Kan reported, which the Palestinian factions that recently visited Egypt agreed to.