The U.S. State Department urged U.S. citizens to stay away from Egyptian places witnessing demonstrations because of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. It also warned them from going to Northern Sinai, describing the situation there as dangerous. In a warden message posted on its website, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo says: "Due to the ongoing conflict and reported fatalities, U.S. State Department employees are restricted from approaching the Gaza Strip. The escalation of hostilities within the Gaza Strip has resulted in a strong possibility of large public demonstrations and potential for disruption of traffic throughout Egypt. "Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. American citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas where demonstrations are more likely to occur, to include government office buildings and large public gathering areas, and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any large public gatherings. Large demonstrations have already occurred in Alexandria and Cairo; however, they may occur in any part of Egypt. American citizens should exercise caution, stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times. "In addition, the Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip. The ongoing conflict and violence has the potential to spread rapidly and unpredictably in the Gaza Strip and surrounding areas. The State Department strongly recommends that American citizens refrain from all travel to the Gaza strip and that those already in Gaza depart immediately. This recommendation has been in effect since … October 2003. It applies to all Americans, including journalists and aid workers. No U.S. government official travel is permitted inside the Gaza Strip at this time. "The situation in Northern Sinai is also unsettled. The Embassy is currently restricting non-official travel of U.S. government personnel to Rafah and Al Areesh, and recommends private U.S. citizens avoid all travel to those areas".
