Khaberni - The Israeli newspaper "Maariv" confirmed that Egypt played a pivotal role in reaching the peace agreement in Gaza, where the mediation almost failed due to "Israeli manipulation".
The newspaper pointed out that the recent ceasefire agreement was on the verge of failure due to Israeli interference in the list of prisoners scheduled for release, had it not been for the pressures exerted by Cairo.
The newspaper reported that following President Donald Trump's speech today (Monday) at exactly 11:00 AM in front of the Knesset, he will immediately head to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, where he will open the international peace conference on Gaza with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
This conference, scheduled for this afternoon, is considered the most significant political initiative since the end of the fighting in the Gaza Strip, aiming to establish the foundations of a new political settlement in the sector and the region as a whole.
"Maariv" mentioned that President Sisi has recently sought to get closer to the Trump administration, particularly by actively involving Egypt in the mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas.
It added that Egypt has its own interests in calming the situation in the Gaza Strip, and it has repeatedly expressed its concern about the possibility of Gazans crossing into Egyptian territory.
The newspaper revealed that after signing the prisoner release agreement—which was implemented this morning—sharp disputes occurred over the list of prisoners Israel would release, but it ultimately ended with an agreement on this issue.
It reported that Israel's preoccupation with the identities of those released angered Egyptian officials, who accused Tel Aviv of trying to sabotage the implementation of the agreement, while Hamas asserted its commitment and hastened the implementation of the agreed-upon terms, including the early release of the hostages.
Despite Israeli insistence not to release senior Palestinian prisoners—such as Marwan Barghouti, Abdullah Barghouti, Abbas al-Sayed, and Ahmad Sa'adat—in a deal that includes all prisoners, the final list included 250 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment (some more than once), in addition to more than 1700 prisoners accused of participating in attacks on Israel since October 7, 2023.
Among these, according to the newspaper, is Mohammed Abu Tbikh from Jenin, an activist in the Islamic Jihad movement, who participated in the Majdo junction bombing on June 5, 2002, which resulted in the death of 17 settlers and injured 43 others.
The list also includes Raed Sheikh, who is alleged to be a Palestinian policeman, and participated in an extrajudicial execution in Ramallah, and among those released is also Ibrahim Aliqam, who killed Eitam Tsour and his son Ephraim (12 years old) in their car near Beit El in December 1996.
Alongside the American President, the Egyptian President will host world leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh to celebrate the ceasefire in Gaza.
"Maariv" indicated that while Sisi succeeded—in cooperation with Qatar, Turkey, and the United States—in convincing Hamas to return the Israeli hostages, he simultaneously turned his attention to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam issue, delivering a firm speech rejecting any unilateral actions taken regarding the Nile River.
Sisi emphasized that such steps, implemented without a regional agreement, blatantly ignore established international norms and treaties, stressing that they threaten both the vital and existential interests of the Nile Basin peoples and undermine the foundations of justice, stability, and peace in the entire region, which he sees as built on cooperation and mutual respect.
