NEW ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL, Egypt — On Thursday, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged both Israel and Hamas to swiftly implement a ceasefire agreement regarding the Gaza conflict, intensifying the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to endorse the terms of the deal.
This call comes at a crucial moment as efforts to end the 15-month-long hostilities continue. Just a day after President Joe Biden and international mediators announced the ceasefire plan, Netanyahu was still stating that no agreement was in place.
However, in a notable development early Friday, a statement seemed to set the stage for the Israeli security cabinet to vote on the ceasefire plan. If the cabinet endorses it, Israel has indicated that the agreement could be activated by Sunday.
In an exclusive discussion, Abdelatty remarked that the deal was achieved through significant involvement from American, Qatari, and Egyptian diplomats, including members from President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming team. “We have a deal. It is crucial to initiate the implementation without delay,” he stated from his office in The New Administrative Capital, a newly constructed city located approximately 45 kilometers east of Cairo that hosts key governmental functions.
Egypt, maintaining a peace treaty with Israel and bordering Hamas-controlled Gaza, has played a pivotal role as a mediator in the ongoing conflict, working diligently toward ceasefire negotiations. Abdelatty mentioned that Cairo is designated as the venue for further discussions among the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt regarding the execution of the deal, with talks anticipated to commence shortly. A dedicated “operation room” will oversee the deal’s progression from the Egyptian capital.
“We are wholly committed to meeting our obligations, and we expect the same from others involved,” he said. Reports from Egyptian and Israeli officials indicated that a military and Shin Bet internal security delegation from Israel planned to arrive in Cairo to deliberate on reopening the Rafah crossing. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.
Despite incurring significant losses during the conflict, Hamas remains functional, continuing to orchestrate lethal assaults against Israeli forces while still delivering basic services to its constituents. Abdelatty refrained from discussing Hamas’s military prowess but indicated that the group will not participate in governance in post-war Gaza. Rather, he emphasized that the Palestinian Authority, based in the occupied West Bank and ousted by Hamas in 2007, should guide Gaza’s future.
“Empowering the Palestinian Authority is essential,” he stated, adding that Egypt is prepared to collaborate with the U.S. to bolster the Palestinian forces and police, ensuring security in Gaza. He reinforced that establishing an independent Palestinian state comprising both the West Bank and Gaza is the sole resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian situation. The outbound Biden administration has backed the revival of the Palestinian Authority’s role in Gaza, a concept that Netanyahu and his right-wing allies have opposed.
The prospective ceasefire deal stipulates that significant humanitarian support, in the form of hundreds of truckloads, will be funneled into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. This crossing has remained shut since the Israeli military’s intervention last May, cutting off Gaza from essential supplies. Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s aim to reopen Rafah promptly, facilitating the entry of 600 trucks daily to alleviate the urgent needs of the starving population.
He noted that negotiations regarding the logistics are ongoing, and Egypt is open to the reinstatement of European Union civilian observers at the crossing. For two years, an EU-led operation coordinated with Israel and the Palestinian Authority managed the crossing until Hamas took control of Gaza.
In Brussels, a European Commission spokesman confirmed that the EU is contemplating a return to oversee the crossing, with an EU mission expected to arrive in Cairo next week. “The presence of the EU would be significantly beneficial,” Abdelatty commented.
The ripple effects of the conflict have also affected Egypt, particularly as Houthi rebels in Yemen have disrupted maritime traffic through the Suez Canal. Abdelatty disclosed that the ongoing tensions have resulted in an estimated loss of $600 million in monthly revenue for Egypt. Furthermore, the influx of around 10 million refugees and migrants, including many Palestinians from Gaza, has placed an additional strain on the nation’s resources. “We are not a wealthy country,” he stated.
