Israeli Couple Reports Invasive Searches and Harassment at Sinai Border Crossing
An Israeli couple faced aggressive security checks and invasive strip searches by Egyptian border personnel at the Sinai crossing, leaving them deeply shaken.
An Israeli couple in their 30s underwent a humiliating and unusual security check at the Sinai border crossing on Saturday. The couple, identified as Sh. and O., reported being subjected to aggressive pat-downs and invasive searches by Egyptian border security personnel.
Invasive Strip Search and Harassment
According to the testimonies, the search began almost immediately after they crossed into Egyptian territory, despite the terminal being virtually empty. Sh. recounted that a female security guard patted her down aggressively over her clothes, touching her chest, groin, and buttocks before any bags were even scanned. Security personnel then found rolling papers in O.'s bag, which triggered a thorough ransacking of all their luggage.
Following the baggage check, O. was taken behind a curtain where a male guard patted down his groin over his clothing. Sh. was subsequently subjected to an even more intrusive examination behind a separate curtain.
She told me to take off my shirt, and since I wasn't wearing a bra, I did. Then she told me to take off my skirt, leaving me in my underwear, and finally demanded I remove them too, Sh. said.
Psychological Impact and Future Travel
Sh. described the encounter as deeply unsettling, noting that the guard communicated through pantomime and appeared to take pleasure in the invasive inspection. Although the couple has visited the Sinai Peninsula multiple times in the past without incident, they expressed shock at the severity of the treatment and are seeking to clarify the legality of such procedures before returning.
