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Egypt is preparing an area at the Gaza border that could accommodate Palestinians in case an Israeli ground offensive into Rafah prompts an exodus across the frontier.

Egypt, which denied making any such preparations, has repeatedly raised the alarm over the possibility that Israel's devastating Gaza offensive could displace Palestinians into Sinai - something Cairo says would be completely unacceptable - echoing warnings from Arab states such as Jordan.

The US has also repeatedly said it would oppose any displacement of Palestinians out of Gaza. The Sinai Foundation for Human Rights earlier this week published videos and images it said were heavy-duty construction equipment working at a border area in Egypt, near Rafah.

Citing an unidentified source, the Sinai Foundation said that the construction work was intended to create a secured area in case of a mass exodus of Palestinians.