Egypt has decided to postpone Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Israel until after the U.S. elections, viewing this delay as an opportunity to secure more favorable terms amid Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent maneuvers.
In light of Netanyahu’s latest actions, Egypt has opted not to agree to a ceasefire at this time. Instead, it has postponed talks with mediators until after next week’s U.S. elections to strengthen its negotiating position.
Diplomatic sources report ongoing contacts between Cairo, Washington, and Doha. Discussions have also taken place in Cairo between U.S. Director of National Intelligence William Perez and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, joined by Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad. These sources indicate that Israel currently has no intention of halting the conflict, even temporarily.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts in Gaza and Lebanon continue in hopes of implementing a ceasefire as soon as possible.
An Egyptian official told the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar that the U.S. recognizes the difficulties of enforcing U.N. resolutions on Lebanon but is still working to “reach a ceasefire, even if there are agreements not officially announced.”
The official explained that separate ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon are ideas supported by the U.S. but remain unacceptable to Tel Aviv. This includes two days of proposed talks, which Cairo agreed to, that began in Doha earlier this week after a two-month hiatus.
The official further noted that Netanyahu appears to be “attempting to extend this conflict into a war of attrition.”
Separately, an Egyptian military source has categorically denied claims that Israel shot down a drone allegedly carrying weapons into the Gaza Strip from Egyptian airspace, stressing that such reports are entirely unfounded.
“Security forces are on alert, air traffic is under intensive monitoring, and these accusations from Tel Aviv are untrue,” the source said. The source added that Egypt views these accusations as an attempt by Israel to justify its refusal to withdraw from border areas and its ongoing closure of the Rafah crossing.
Following recent reports that the German ship Catherine had arrived in Alexandria with military equipment, Egypt has also dismissed these allegations as “completely untrue.”
Another Egyptian official told Al-Akhbar that authorities suspect a coordinated campaign aimed at misrepresenting Egypt’s role in supporting the Palestinian cause. They believe that the inclusion of these allegations by anti-regime voices serves as a way to exploit the current situation.
The official further clarified, “Cairo will not adopt exceptional measures regarding navigation to Israeli ports, especially amidst a conflict that has disrupted Red Sea access to ports due to Houthi attacks in Yemen.”
