Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi / Photo: open source
Cairo, 21 March 2025 – Egypt has expressed its readiness to accept half a million refugees from the Gaza Strip, marking a striking change in the position of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who had previously categorically rejected the possibility. This was reported on Friday by the Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, affiliated with the Hezbollah movement, citing sources in diplomatic circles. According to the newspaper, the refugees are planned to be resettled in the north of the Sinai Peninsula.
According to Al Akhbar, in order to implement this plan, Egypt will have to open the border to allow Gazans who wish to leave the region to cross it. This decision has caused concern in Jordan, which, while expressing its willingness to help with the accommodation of refugees, has limited its offer to families of the wounded and only on a temporary basis.
What could have caused such a dramatic shift in Al-Sisi’s position, if the information is confirmed? The Qatari newspaper Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed reminds us that the United States recently informed Egypt of a possible reduction in military aid, which could come into effect as early as this year. Currently, the United States provides Egypt with $2.1 billion annually, of which $1.3 billion is military support and the rest is economic aid.
The deportation plan, presented by US President Donald Trump in early February, caused a sharp outcry in both Egypt and Jordan. At the time, Al-Sisi said that his country would not participate in what he called “an act of injustice”. “The displacement of Palestinians will lead to instability and threaten Egypt’s national security,” the Egyptian leader stressed. However, pressure from Washington has probably forced Cairo to soften its position. At present, according to sources, Al-Sisi is ready to consider only the temporary placement of residents of the Gaza Strip, but not their permanent transfer.
Al Akhbar also reports that UN officials and international organisations providing aid to the Gaza Strip have noticed a change in Israeli rhetoric. Israeli officials now openly state that humanitarian aid will not be provided to the Gaza Strip until Arab countries agree to accept at least half of its population. The newspaper concludes that the latest news from the Gaza Strip shows that the resumption of hostilities is not an isolated step, but part of a broader project that is apparently coordinated with the US administration.
The situation remains tense, and further developments will depend on how Egypt and other countries in the region respond to the growing pressure from international actors.
