Tensions between Israel and Egypt reached a new peak this week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on his accusation that Cairo had for years enabled the smuggling of arms into the Gaza Strip, his posture threatening the tight security cooperation between the two countries.

Addressing the foreign press on Wednesday, Netanyahu showed a map of the Gaza-Sinai border area and used props to show the alleged movement of arms smuggled into the Strip. Netanyahu said that after 2005, when Israel unilaterally withdrew all settlements and its military presence from the Gaza Strip, the Philadelphi Corridor "became completely porous." He added, "The other borders were controlled by us. But once this was perforated, even though the policy of Egypt was to prevent it, you know, it didn’t necessarily work; it didn’t succeed." He further added that "once we left our side of the Philadelphi Corridor … ammo went in, weapons manufacturing equipment came in, tunnel drilling equipment came in."

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry accused Netanyahu on Tuesday of “trying to involve Egypt to divert Israeli public opinion and obstruct a cease-fire and hostage-swap deal, as well as hindering mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the US.” It also claimed that Netanyahu’s allegation was designed to "exacerbate the situation" and aimed at justifying "aggressive and inflammatory policies, leading to further escalation in the region."

In another signal to Israel, Egyptian military chief Ahmed Fathy Khalifa on Thursday paid an unannounced visit to the Rafah crossing point, on the Egypt-Gaza. A statement issued by the Egyptian military said Khalifa's had gone "to examine the security situation and the measures along the border.’’