Egypt has sent around 800 soldiers to the Sinai Peninsula in response to the popular demonstrations demanding the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. Israel gave its consent for the deployment following an official request from the Egyptian government. The troops are concentrated around the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in southern Sinai. The whole peninsula has been an almost totally demilitarised zone since the 1979 peace treaty was signed between Egypt and Israel.