Mideast situation – Israel attack on Gaza – Letter from Egypt

DOCUMENT S/3365

Letter dated 1 March 1955 from the representative of

Egypt to the President of the Security Council

[Original text: English]

[1 March 1955]

Upon instructions from my Government, I have the honor to bring to Your Excellency's attention the following urgent matter.

Yesterday, at approximately 8.30 p.m., an Israel armed force, estimated at two platoons' strength, crossed the armistice demarcation line east of Gaza and advanced well inside Egyptian controlled territory for about 3 kilometers until they reached the area of an Egyptian military camp. They blew up the buildings of the camp, using demolition charges, then sprayed the ruins with fire from automatic weapons. They also blew up a water-pump house in the vicinity, using demolition charges. As a result of this, an Egyptian captain and 14 other ranks were killed; 16 other ranks were injured.

Two hours later, a platoon of 35 soldiers, under the command of a first lieutenant, moved from a camp south of Gaza in a lorry towards the attacked Egyptian camp to reinforce the garrison of the Egyptian camp, but was ambushed by Israel soldiers whose job in this aggressive action was to prevent reinforcements from moving to the scene of the incident. As a result of this ambush, 22 soldiers were killed, another 14 were injured, among them the platoon.

The total number of casualties amounts to 37 members of the Egyptian armed forces and 2 civilians killed 30 members of the armed forces and 2 civilians injured.

The Egyptian Government expresses its grave concern over this obviously premeditated armed attack which was carried out by Israel armed forces against Egyptian armed forces within Egyptian-controlled territory.

This brutal act of aggression, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the Egyptian-Israeli General Armistice Agreement, surpasses by far all previous Israel aggressions since the conclusion of the armistice agreement and certainly threatens seriously the peace and security in this area.

I fully reserve all the rights of my Government as regards the consequences of this grave act of aggression.

I have the honor to request you to communicate this letter to all the members of the Security Council.

(Signed) Omar LOUTH

Representative of Egypt