Egypt Discovers Israeli Attempts to Assassinate Hamas Leaders on Its Soil

Translation by SadaNews - Senior Egyptian officials stated to Middle East Eye that Egypt has uncovered Israeli plots to target Hamas leaders in Cairo, warning Israel that any attack will be met with force.

A senior security source stated in the translation by SadaNews: "Intelligence reports indicate that Israel has been planning to assassinate Hamas leaders in Cairo for some time, and Egypt has thwarted a previous attempt during ceasefire negotiations in the city over the past two years."

The statements from the senior Egyptian officials to Middle East Eye were in response to threats from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to target Hamas in other countries.

The security source said: "Any attempt to assassinate Hamas leaders on Egyptian soil will be considered by Egypt a violation of its sovereignty, and thus a declaration of war from Israel, and we will not hesitate to respond to it."

Although there has been no official announcement regarding the presence of Hamas leadership figures in Egypt, the security source stated that many of them have been residing in the country for years, even before the current Gaza war. Their identities, numbers, and precise locations remain confidential for security reasons.

According to the source, Egyptian officials have urged their Israeli counterparts to return to negotiations and work towards a ceasefire in Gaza, rather than dragging the region into endless wars and escalating tensions.

The source pointed out that "Egyptian-Israeli relations have already seen tension in recent months due to Tel Aviv's hesitation regarding a possible truce in Gaza."

Egyptian officials are wary of attempts to hold Cairo accountable for Gaza's future - including the potential displacement of Palestinians to North Sinai.

On August 19, security sources revealed that Egypt had deployed around 40,000 soldiers along the Egyptian border with Gaza to prevent the possible crossing of Palestinians into Sinai.

They also reported Cairo's marginalization in the collapsed ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, amid fears that a major Israeli attack on the enclave could force Palestinians to breach the Sinai border and create chaos.

A senior intelligence official stated last week, prior to the Doha attack, that communications between Egypt and Israel had been completely severed, with no progress in talks to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

"Egypt is not defending Hamas"
In the meantime, a senior Israeli military official stated that the Israeli strike in Doha did not include Egyptian airspace. He added: "No Israeli aircraft involved in the Doha attack crossed into Egyptian airspace at any time."

The military official also confirmed that "Egypt was not pre-informed about the Doha strike, and there was no coordination at all between Egypt, Israel, or the United States regarding the operation."

The official said: "A Chinese air defense system is currently being deployed in the Sinai Peninsula, on the border with Israel, making it impossible for any aircraft to cross without prior permission or being detected."

He said: "I tell Qatar and all countries hosting Hamas leaders: either you expel them or bring them to justice. Because if you do not, we will."
A prominent security analyst, who spoke to Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity for security reasons, believes that the source's warnings do not pertain to Hamas itself as much as they reflect Cairo's view of its position in the region.

The analyst argued: "Egypt is not defending Hamas; rather, it views it with suspicion and associates it with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood."

He added: "But Egypt considers itself the most strategically significant Arab state, and any Israeli strike on its territory would be regarded as a form of humiliation. Such an attack would undermine Egypt's prestige and threaten its regional standing that it seeks to maintain despite increasing Qatari influence in peace talks in recent months."

Historically, Cairo has played a pivotal role in mediating between Israel and Palestinian factions, especially Hamas. However, in recent months, it has been increasingly marginalized from ceasefire talks in Gaza, amidst fears in Cairo that an Israeli ground attack on the enclave could drag Egypt into the conflict.

The analyst clarified: "Egypt's ability to act as a credible mediator in Gaza will collapse if Israel is allowed to carry out assassinations in Cairo without deterrence."

He added: "The governments of the country have invested heavily in this role. An attack in the capital would shatter that image and demonstrate to the region that Egypt cannot even protect its own backyard."

Egypt was the first Arab country to normalize relations with Israel, signing a U.S.-brokered peace treaty in 1979 despite popular opposition. Egyptians have long been at odds with successive regimes over normalization, viewing Israel as an enemy and occupier of Palestine.