The decades-old peace between Israel and Egypt is showing some serious wear and tear, and in his new report for The Media Line, Jacob Wirtschafter takes readers inside the growing rift [1] between two uneasy allies.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington selling the idea of a 60-day Gaza ceasefire—tied to Hamas disarmament and plans to relocate Palestinians—Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was busy in Cairo, turning to China for support and making it clear that Egypt isn’t about to absorb Gaza’s population. The message? Cairo has its own red lines—and it’s not waiting for permission from Jerusalem or Washington.
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The October 7 Hamas attack still looms large, with Egyptian officials insisting they warned Israel in advance—a claim Israel denies. Since then, Egypt’s media and government institutions have grown increasingly confrontational, all while the government positions itself as a humanitarian player, not a dumping ground for refugees.
Back-channel talks are happening in Doha, with Egypt, Qatar, and the US still trying to stitch together a truce. But Cairo’s rejection of forced resettlement, coupled with arms deals with China and Russia and the rejection of a $7.5 billion US aid offer, shows it’s moving toward strategic independence.
Energy flows, diplomatic posturing, and cross-border grievances all play into what’s now being called a “cold war” between former peace partners. Yet Egypt still wants to be seen as a stabilizing force, not a spoiler.
In short, as Jacob Wirtschafter shows, Egypt’s relationship with Israel may still be officially “peaceful,” but the temperature is dropping fast. Read the full piece [1] to see why this nearly half-century-old alliance is entering uncharted—and uneasy—territory.