Has Egypt turned the page on discord with Hamas?
Egypt’s relations with Hamas have begun to warm up in recent months after years of tension following the 2013 overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi.
Egypt’s diplomatic efforts resulted in a cease-fire agreement May 21 between Hamas and Israel. The deal, coordinated with the United States, ended 11 days of fighting that killed hundreds of Palestinians and 13 Israelis.
During the conflict, Egypt lent strong political support to the Palestinians, with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi calling for pressure on Israel to halt its military escalation in the Palestinian territories and reach a deal to establish an independent Palestinian state.
Sisi pledged $500 million for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by Hamas, following the Israeli blitz. The Egyptian leader also ordered May 20 the dispatch of two security delegations to Gaza and Israel in an effort to bolster the cease-fire between the two sides and secure long-term calm.
Moreover, the Egyptian government sent a massive aid convoy of 130 trucks ladened with aid supplies to Gaza and reopened the Rafah border crossing, which links Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula with the Palestinian territory, to allow the entry of injured Palestinians to receive medical treatment at Egyptian hospitals and ensure a smooth transfer of aid to the Palestinians.
