Egypt’s Crucial Role in Mideast Stability amid Looming Rafah Offensive – Jerusalem Studio

Egypt is the most important, populous and militarily capable of the Arab countries. Its 42 year peace agreement with Israel has so far withstood crises. Without it, the Mideast would surely have been constantly unstable and prone to repeated wars. But the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the counter-offensive into Gaza – bordering Egypt’s Northern Sinai – gave Cairo an even more central role. This includes mediation in hostage release negotiations and will now come even more into focus as Israel is on the verge of raiding Rafah, with its dense concentration of internally displaced Palestinians. In light of this, what would the considerations, constraints and consequences be as pertaining to Egypt’s moves in this regard?