JERUSALEM, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) — The Israeli military announced Monday that it has agreed to allow increased Egyptian army presence in the Rafah area on Israel’s southern border.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it has signed an amendment to the Camp David Accords together with the Egyptian military, allowing for a strengthening of forces there. The amendment was approved by the Israeli State Security Cabinet, led by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

The precise number of Egyptian forces to be added was not disclosed in the statement.

Rafah houses the crossing between Egypt and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Both Israel and Egypt maintain a strict blockade on the territory.

According to the statement, the agreement was reached in a meeting held in Egypt of the joint military committee.

In recent months, security cooperation between Israel and Egypt has become increasingly public. Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel met with Bennett in Israel and is expected to visit again in the coming weeks, according to Israeli media.

Egypt frequently plays a mediating role between Israel and Hamas. In May, after an 11-day war between the two, Egypt helped broker an unofficial cease-fire.

The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978.

These agreements led to the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979. It was the first peace treaty Israel signed with an Arab nation.