As Israel pummels besieged Gaza, Egypt resists opening up to refugees

With more than 1,500 people dead in Gaza and hundreds of thousands displaced by the Israeli military’s relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip, global attention has focused on the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, the only viable way out of the densely populated enclave.

But Cairo, wary of political fallout and security risks, is determined to prevent an exodus of refugees to Egypt — warning it could be a death knell for the Palestinian dream of statehood.

The crossing point at Gaza’s southern edge has been effectively closed since Tuesday after Israeli airstrikes damaged infrastructure in the area.