Egypt’s president, German chancellor urge every effort to end Gaza war, avert regional spillover

CAIRO – 29 August 2024: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have emphasized the urgency of exerting all possible efforts to bring an end to the war in the Gaza Strip, which has lasted for nearly a year, and to prevent its expansion across the region.

The two leaders deliberated on the evolving situation in the Middle East in a phone conversation on Wednesday, as reported by Egypt’s Presidential Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy. They also took the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and coordinating on regional and global issues of mutual concern.

Sisi underscored the importance of a decisive and effective role by the international community to ensure the political will required for facilitating a ceasefire and a captive-detainee swap, as well as the active engagement in mediation efforts.

He also emphasized the necessity of a comprehensive political track aimed at establishing an independent Palestinian state based on the two-state solution, in alignment with pertinent international resolutions, to achieve enduring stability in the region.

Sisi and Scholz agreed to maintain ongoing consultations and coordination regarding the efforts to restore regional stability and peace.

Scholz commended Egypt's dedicated efforts to defuse the crisis and end the war in Gaza as well as to provide humanitarian aid to the enclave.

The German chancellor highlighted the two countries’ shared vision on the urgent need to ensure the delivery of sufficient relief aid to address the humanitarian catastrophe endured by the people of Gaza.

Ongoing ceasefire talks

Earlier this week, Cairo hosted high-level talks involving representatives from Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the United States, aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement.

However, discussions concluded on Sunday without a final accord and are scheduled to resume in Doha, according to a statement from a US official to AP.

CIA Director William Burns and Israel’s Mossad Director David Barnea participated in the talks, while a Hamas delegation received briefings from Egyptian and Qatari mediators on the outcomes without direct involvement in the meetings.

Hamas reiterated that any potential agreement must include a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced residents to their homes, efforts for reconstruction and relief, and a substantial prisoner exchange.

Meanwhile, Israel has previously raised its demands for a ceasefire, potentially jeopardizing agreements by insisting on maintaining a military presence in the Philadelphi corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border and the Netzarim corridor dividing northern Gaza from the south.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed the dispatch of an Israeli delegation to Doha on Wednesday, although specific details about the participants were not disclosed.

Striving for ceasefire

Cairo and Doha have been pivotal locations for ceasefire negotiations over the past months, aiming to halt Israel's ongoing airstrikes since the October 7 attack by Hamas and to pave the way for a prospective prisoner exchange between the conflicting parties.

Earlier in August, US mediators presented a proposal supported by Egypt and Qatar, aiming to bridge the remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas, with ongoing efforts to finalize implementation details, as outlined in a joint statement by the three countries.

As mediators, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have intensified their efforts to secure a ceasefire amidst escalating regional tensions, particularly in light of recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Iran.

Over the weekend, Lebanon's Hezbollah announced the conclusion of the "first phase" of retaliatory strikes against Israel following the killing of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut by Israeli forces in late July.

During this wave of attacks, Hezbollah stated that it deployed drones and launched hundreds of Katyusha rockets targeting 11 Israeli military installations.

Simultaneously, the Israeli military disclosed that dozens of warplanes conducted operations inside Lebanon upon detecting Hezbollah's preparations to launch rockets towards Israel.

A security source in Lebanon, cited by Reuters, reported around 40 Israeli airstrikes affecting southern regions of the country.

Iran, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas have all vowed retaliation against Israel in response to the killings of Shukr and Hamas political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran by Israeli forces in July.