Egypt to Host Summit to Discuss Long-Term Israel & Gaza Ceasefire

Egypt has reportedly invited Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas to Cairo for a summit to discuss a long-term Israel-Gaza ceasefire following an Egyptian-brokered truce that recently ended an 11-day military flare-up between Israel and Hamas, according to a report by Israeli broadcaster Kan.

The goal of the summit would be to hammer out an agreement on the reconstruction of Gaza as well as a ceasefire deal that would hold long-term and discuss the return of Israeli civilians and the bodies of two IDF soldiers held captive for nearly seven years.

IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul were killed in the summer 2014 war with Hamas, while civilian Avera Mengistu was captured after he entered Gaza of his own accord in the same year. Mengistu reportedly suffers from mental health issues. Hisham al-Sayed, a second civilian, entered the Strip in 2015 and has been held there since then.

According to the report, an unnamed Egyptian military official traveled to Israel last week to discuss the initiative but no date for the proposed summit has been set. Kan further reported that Israel set two conditions for its agreement to attend: that the talks with Hamas and the Palestinian Authority be held separately and that each step in the Gaza reconstruction process be tied to the advancement of the return of the captives.

The report came after Egypt reportedly proposed setting up an international organization/task force led by Arab countries to oversee funds transferred into Gaza from donor organizations and bolster the UN’s role in reconstruction, Asharq Al-Awsat quoted an Egyptian official as saying. Qatar recently took Egypt’s lead and pledged USD 500 mn for Gaza reconstruction after the El Sisi administration committed the same amount last week.

Egypt played a key role in mediating last week’s ceasefire, which ended 11 days of deadly violence in Gaza, and our effort earned praise from the Biden administration, which is now working closely with Cairo to reinforce peace and push ahead with reconstruction.

Foreign press sees Egypt’s role as interlocutor as cemented: The Financial Times was also out this morning with a piece by Cairo correspondent Heba Saleh taking a look at how Egypt was, and still is, relevant as a crucial “power broker” in the Palestinian struggle.