The Ottoman Expeditionary Force, moving only at night, believed that it had been unnoticed, as scouts had observed British officers playing football, when Ottoman forces already established themselves in a camp 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of the Suez Canal.
Den osmanniske ekspeditionsstyrke bevægede sig kun om natten idet den troede, at den ikke var blevet opdaget, da spejdere havde set britiske officerer spille fodbold mens osmanniske styrker indrettede sig i en lejr 25 km øst for Suez-kanalen.