Nightmare at the Sinai border crossing: "They emptied the bags and forced us to undress"

A couple in their 30s experienced a harsh and invasive security check at the Taba border crossing in Sinai. The woman was completely stripped and underwent a naked search, while her partner was groped in his genitals. They describe a traumatic experience of sexual harassment by Egyptian security personnel, which included sexual contact without security justification.

An Israeli couple in their 30s, S and A, crossed the border into Taba in Sinai on Saturday and experienced a harsh and invasive security check on the Egyptian side. S was completely stripped and underwent a full naked search behind a curtain, while her partner A was taken for a separate check where, according to her, the security officer groped his genitals. S said that the female guard touched her groin, buttocks, and chest immediately after she passed through the metal detector, even before the bags were checked. After rolling papers were found in A's bag, the search intensified and they were separated. S described a traumatic experience that threw her off balance, adding that this was not their first time in Sinai but they had never experienced such harassment. She expressed confusion about the legality of the procedure.

Nightmare at the Sinai border crossing: "They emptied the bags and forced us to undress"