Gaza, Feb 16 (IANS): Egypt is building a wall and is levelling land near its border with the Gaza Strip ahead of a planned Israeli offensive targeting Rafah city, satellite images showed on Thursday as quoted by media reports.

Egypt hasn't publicly acknowledged the construction but has warned Israel not to forcibly expel the Palestinians now displaced in Rafah into Egypt, The Times of Israel reported.

But the images from the Egyptian side of the border in the Sinai Peninsula suggest Cairo is preparing for just that scenario, something that could threaten its 1979 peace deal with Israel.

Cairo officials did not respond to requests for comment on Friday from media reports.

The satellite images, taken Thursday by Maxar Technologies, show construction ongoing on the wall, which sits along the Sheikh Zuweid-Rafah Road nearly 3.5 km (2 miles) west of the border with Gaza.

The images show cranes, trucks and what appear to be precast concrete barriers being set up along the road.