Is it safe to travel to Egypt with the war of Israel?

On Saturday the 7th, war broke between Israel and Hamas. Egypt has so far avoided being drawn into the conflict, despite Israeli airstrikes hitting the area near the border with Gaza and forcing it to close on the 10th of October. Nevertheless, Egypt is said to be pursuing a negotiated solution to the violence with regional and international partners.

You might be wondering, what happens with my trip to Egypt now? Here we will give you all the clues on the situation of Egypt and Israel and how safe it is to travel to the land of pyramids and pharaohs. 

Is Egypt safe to travel to?  

Though Israel directly borders Egypt, most of the country’s major cities and tourist sites are a substantial distance away. Authorities are saying that it is safe to travel to areas like Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada, etc. Any major touristic hub is said to be safe to go to. 

Keep in mind that Sharm el Sheikh is the closest to the border with Israel, but it is still over two-and-a-half hours’ drive away from the nearest border town and over five hours away by road from the area around the Gaza border. Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada and Luxor are even further away.

Nevertheless, we recommend you to continue checking the latest news. Some like the department of the UK of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) have warned against all travel to parts of Egypt, specially the North Sinai. FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the northern part of the Governorate of South Sinai, beyond the St Catherine-Nuweibaa road.

Other areas that are advised not to travel to: 

• Egypt-Libya border (within 20 km)
• The eastern part of Ismailiyah Governorate
• Western Desert 
• Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil Trapezoid

Is it safe to travel to Israel?

It is absolutely encouraged not to travel to Israel. According to the UK Foreign Office website, the Israeli government has declared a state of emergency across the whole country. International borders (air and land) in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) could close at short notice. Therefore, all non-essential travel is best to avoid. 

The US Department of State’s Travel Advisory Level for Israel and the West Bank is of Level 3 – Reconsider Travel. The Travel Advisory for Gaza remains at Level 4 – Do Not Travel.

Holiday companies are required to remove their customers from the area, and tour operators are not allowed to send out anyone else until the advice changes.  

Why does Egypt have a blockade in Gaza?

After Hamas’s victory in the legislative elections in 2006, Israel imposed a full blockade of the Strip. The Israeli reason behind the blockade is focused on the security of its citizens and holding Hamas accountable for rocket attacks on them.

To the blockade made by Israel, Egypt also joined and swiftly closed Gaza’s borders. It is believed that Egypt doesn’t want Palestinians to flee into northern Sinai and create a permanent resettlement of more than 2 million people whom Israel will not allow to re-enter Gaza.

Rafah Crossing into Egypt

Why has Egypt closed the Gaza border? The Rafah crossing is one of the border crossing points out of Gaza. It is believed that this Monday 16, the Rafah border will reopen to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

Egypt closed on the 10th of October the Rafah crossing due to ongoing Israeli air attacks hitting the Palestinian side of the crossing. It is considered not a safe area.