Egypt as mediator for possible ceasefire in Israel-Palestine conflict

The conflict between Israel and Gaza militants has been active for almost a week, but the roots of the conflict run much deeper and go years back, if not decades. Whilst both sides have disregarded international law provisions on the legality of war as well as the targets hit by the parties to the conflict. It is reported that Israel has conducted airstrikes on offices of Al Jazeera and The Associated Press (AP) news agency in the Gaza Strip. 

Israel justified the attacks by claiming that the building hosted military assets of the Hamas terror organisation, without providing evidence on those claims. Whilst many international actors call for a ceasefire, neither side seems to stop their offensive.

U.S. President Joe Biden talked with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the third time since last week, reiterating his support for Israel’s right to defend themselves. Whilst expressing his support for a ceasefire, he also encouraged Israel to take every necessary step to avoid civilian loss of life. The president has engaged discussion with regional actors, such as Egyptian, Jordanian, European or Qatari officials.

On the other hand, Egypt sees the role of mediator in the conflict as a way to restore its regional influence. After having brokered a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in 2014, Egypt could use their geographic proximity to Gaza as leverage in diplomatic negotiations. Egypt shares the Rafah border with Gaza and is the only passageway to the outside world which is not controlled by Israel. The Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, has allowed wounded Gazans to be treated in Egyptian hospitals and to deliver aid last week already. A member of the Century Foundation based in New York has claimed that this provides an opportunity for Egypt to show the US as well as other regional parties that they remain an important and necessary diplomatic agent and that the ceasefire will go through Cairo.