The withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Sinai Peninsula began as a result of the geopolitical complexities following the 1956 Suez Crisis. During the Suez Crisis, Israel, alongside Britain and France, had invaded Egypt to regain Western control over the Suez Canal and remove Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who had nationalized the canal. While military objectives were met, the political fallout necessitated a reevaluation of Israel's presence in the Sinai. By January 1957, significant international pressure, especially from the United States and the United Nations, urged Israel to withdraw its forces to foster peace and prevent further escalation of tensions in the region. The US, under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, insisted on the importance of maintaining stability in the Middle East, especially in the context of the Cold War. Israel eventually agreed to pull back its troops from Sinai, with the process involving UN peacekeeping forces to supervise the area and ensure compliance. Additionally, the Israeli-Egyptian agreement included provisions that aimed to secure freedom of navigation in the crucial Gulf of Aqaba for Israeli shipping.