AhlulBayt News Agency: Egypt has declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is deliberately blocking progress toward the second stage of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which has been in effect since October 10. Cairo also accuses him of attempting to heighten regional tensions.
Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt’s State Information Service, stated in a televised interview Thursday night that Netanyahu is “doing everything possible to prevent the transition to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire.” He added that Netanyahu is trying to shift American focus toward other regional issues, particularly Iran, Syria, and Lebanon.
Rashwan cautioned that Netanyahu is attempting to “set the region ablaze beyond Gaza” by exploiting growing US–Iran tensions, hoping to push Washington into a confrontation with Tehran. Such a move, he warned, could derail the ceasefire’s second stage and reignite violence in Gaza.
Accusing Netanyahu of “deliberately maneuvering to sabotage the next stage of the deal,” Rashwan stressed that “there is a clear American veto against renewed hostilities in Gaza.”
He further emphasized that “all signs indicate the US administration has decided to launch the second phase at the beginning of January,” suggesting that President Donald Trump’s upcoming meeting with Netanyahu on December 29 “may serve as the true signal for that transition.”
Rashwan concluded by describing Trump as “a pragmatic leader who seeks to finalize what he considers a historic solution,” noting that the only foreign policy document carrying Trump’s name this year was the Gaza ceasefire plan, underscoring its importance for the current US administration.
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