Analysis: What Egypt's Sisi Did for Gaza Ceasefire?

Chants in support of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi heard in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian citizens took to the streets celebrating the ceasefire and the entry into force of the unconditional armistice brokered by Egypt.

Dozens of Palestinians in Gaza were seen raising the Egyptian flags, saluting the Egyptians and Sisi for his efforts to put an end to bloodshed by the Israeli occupation shells during the 11 days of bombing.

In this regard, Sisi ordered to send two security delegations to Tel Aviv and Gaza to monitor the truce and find a long term solution.

For the first time since he took up the office, US President Joe Biden spoke with Sisi about the situation in Palestine. This can only be interpreted that Biden finally acknowledged Egypt’s pivotal role in the region.

Biden added during a speech from the White House: "I spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, and Egypt informed us of the date for a ceasefire in Gaza."

We have to be proud that Egypt now has the upper hand in the Palestinian cause, not Washington or other regional party. Cairo informs regional and international powers of the truce’s details, not vice versa.

Egyptian television reported, Thursday, that "the Egyptian efforts resulted in a ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip," after an 11-day escalation.

An Egyptian security source confirmed to AFP that the two delegations would "follow up the implementation procedures and agree on subsequent measures that would preserve the stability of the situation permanently."

The announcement came after intensive efforts to mediate a truce between Israel and Hamas, in which Egypt played a central role due to its contacts with the two sides.

An Egyptian security source told Reuters that "Hamas has pledged to comply with the truce if Israel stops firing," adding that consultations will start after the truce takes effect.

The Israeli and Palestinian sides applauded the Egyptian role in the ceasefire.

A statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said: "The cabinet unanimously agreed to recommend that all security officials accept the Egyptian initiative, for an unconditional bilateral ceasefire."

In a speech after the ceasefire was announced, the spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, confirmed the agreement, saying, "We responded to the Arab mediators."

The Sky News Arabia correspondent revealed that Egypt had contacted Israel at least five times in order to persuade it to stop the raids on Gaza and end violations against Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The Egyptian plan aims to reach a truce, followed by a ceasefire and then laying down a path for the resumption of the stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, resulting in the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

[caption id="attachment_240390" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Flames and smoke billowing after an Israeli air strike on the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.[/caption]