Egyptian Firm Linked to Government Profits From Palestinians Leaving Gaza

Latest Developments

A private Egyptian company with ties to the government is charging Palestinians thousands of dollars to coordinate their exits from Gaza, The New York Times reported on June 20. The company, called “Hala,” is part of a conglomerate known as the Organi Group, which is chaired by Egyptian mogul Ibrahim al-Organi. In 2022, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appointed Organi to the state-run Sinai Development Authority.

Organi told the Times that Hala is a tourism company “just like any company that exists at an airport.” He claims to provide “V.I.P. services” and said that Hala charges $2,500 per adult, while children receive the company’s services free of charge. However, Palestinians who have used Hala’s services to leave Gaza during the war say the company charged $5,000 per adult and $2,500 per child under the age of 16.

Expert Analysis

“Cairo has been brutal to Gazans since the beginning of this war. It refused to host them temporarily, which led to Hamas using Gazans as human shields, and recently opened the door only to rich Gazans to escape in exchange for large sums of money, while their poorer compatriots are left behind. This explains why Egypt has opposed Israeli control of the Rafah crossing and Philadelphi corridor since it’ll stop the flow of money from Gaza.” — Haisam Hassanein, FDD Adjunct Fellow

“Backed by Egyptian security forces, Al-Organi is the de-facto ruler of the Sinai Peninsula. Portraying him as a mere businessman is misleading at best. Formerly convicted and imprisoned by Egypt, Al-Organi has now emerged as a close ally of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. His companies are said to have exclusive control over the Rafah crossing, impacting the movement of goods and people.” — Mariam Wahba, FDD Associate Director of Communications

Egypt Shirks Gaza Responsibilities

Egypt has accepted only a limited number of foreign passport holders and wounded civilians from Gaza since the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel. Sisi said on October 12 that Egypt will not absorb displaced Palestinians because “it’s important for [Gaza’s] people to stay steadfast and exist on its land.” On February 5, Cairo threatened to suspend its 1979 peace treaty with Israel if civilians evacuated to Egypt ahead of the IDF’s Rafah operation. “If even one Palestinian refugee crosses over, the peace agreement will be nullified,” unnamed Egyptian officials told Israeli media.

Cairo also plays a key role in facilitating aid deliveries, as international aid that arrives in Egypt is loaded onto trucks and transferred to Israel for inspection before entering Gaza. Egypt started blocking aid transfers after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) captured the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, which sits at the Egyptian border, as part of its limited operation in the southern Gaza city.“What should be going into Kerem Shalom is the UN assistance, which is now in Egypt. Egypt is holding that back until the Rafah crossing situation settles out,” a senior U.S. official told The Times of Israel. “We do not believe that aid should be held back for any reason whatsoever.” Egypt resumed transferring aid into Gaza by rerouting trucks to Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing on May 26, nearly three weeks after Egypt closed its Rafah crossing. 

Additionally, on June 19, Qatari media reported that Egypt agreed to participate in an Arab security force for postwar Gaza. However, “a high-level source denied” the Qatari report hours later, according to Egyptian media.

Related Analysis

“Talk Like an Egyptian,” FDD Foreign Podicy

“Egypt Resumes Aid to Gaza by Rerouting Trucks to Israel’s Kerem Shalom Crossing,” FDD Flash Brief

“If Egypt supports Gazans, it should offer them temporary housing,” by Haisam Hassanein