Egypt intensifies diplomatic efforts to prevent resumption of Israeli aggression on Gaza

Cairo has intensified its diplomatic efforts to prevent the collapse of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, amid indications that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to thwart the agreement and pave the way for a return to aggression in a more ferocious manner.

Egyptian sources revealed that an Israeli delegation will visit Cairo next week to discuss the details of the second phase of the agreement, at a time when Egypt is exerting pressure on Hamas to show greater flexibility, with the aim of removing pretexts from Netanyahu and preventing a new military escalation, especially with the clear American support for resuming military operations.

The sources explained that Netanyahu received a green light from the administration of US President Donald Trump for what he described as "hell in the Middle East," which prompted Cairo to urge Hamas to deal positively with US and Israeli demands, especially with regard to the file of exchanging prisoners and bodies, and extending the first phase of the agreement.

In this context, Cairo proposed to Hamas the release of the bodies of four Israeli prisoners in exchange for Israel releasing 600 Palestinian prisoners. However, the movement had reservations about some of the demands, stressing the need to form a national consensus government to manage the Gaza Strip, instead of imposing political changes in line with American and Israeli conditions.

Challenges of Egyptian mediation

Egyptian mediation faces major challenges in light of the intransigence of the Israeli position and the repeated violations of the agreements, in addition to the open support that Netanyahu receives from the Trump administration, which complicates Cairo's ability to impose obligations on the Israeli side.

Ambassador Abdullah Al-Ash'al, former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister, believes that Egypt does not have many cards to pressure Netanyahu, warning that pressuring Hamas alone could harm Egyptian mediation.

In contrast, Ambassador Hussein Haridi, former Assistant Foreign Minister, confirms that Egypt follows a balanced approach that does not favor one party over the other, stressing that Cairo did not exert any pressure on Hamas regarding disarming it or changing its leadership.

Saeed Okasha, an expert on Israeli affairs at the Al-Ahram Center for Strategic Studies, also denied allegations that Egypt exerts greater pressure on Hamas than Israel, considering these accusations to be “mere allegations that are not based on reality.”

Egypt races against time to prevent escalation

Amid these challenges, Egypt continues its intensive efforts to maintain regional stability and prevent renewed war, which would have a devastating impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and regional security. The success of Egyptian mediation remains dependent on the extent of the responsiveness of the parties concerned and Cairo’s ability to maneuver between regional and international pressures.

New Arab