Ambassador Huckabee expected to travel to Egypt as US pushes proposal for ending war, rebuilding Gaza

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will travel to Cairo, Egypt, within the coming days for talks with senior Egyptian officials focused on ending the Gaza War, freeing the hostages, and addressing tensions between Egypt and Israel, according to a report in The New York Times. 

The report follows the unveiling of a 21-point plan to end the Gaza conflict, proposed by the Trump administration over the weekend. The proposal calls for the release of all remaining hostages; a phased Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza; a permanent ceasefire; and the disarmament of the Hamas terrorist organization under Arab and international supervision.

During his visit, Huckabee will reportedly meet with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and other high-level officials. It would mark the first official visit by a serving Israeli ambassador in several decades.

The NYT did not specify what role U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Herro Mustafa Garg is expected to play in the meetings. Tensions between Israel and Egypt have been growing since the start of the Oct. 7, 2023 war, with Egypt intensifying a pre-existing trend of moving additional armored units into the Sinai Peninsula in violation of the peace agreement between the two nations.

Egypt has also been a vocal critic of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, accusing it of forcibly displacing Gaza residents and even joining South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of genocide in the enclave.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday, Abdelatty accused Israel of “waging a brutal war against civilians in Gaza.” 

“The Middle East is on the verge of explosion. We look at the situation in the region with concern and with responsibility,” Abdelatty said. He also condemned Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar, saying, the “hand of Israeli aggression has reached country after country in the region and recently Qatar. Force must be stopped.” 

Early in the war, Egypt warned Israel against seizing the Egypt-Gaza border in the Philadelphi Corridor, arguing that such a move would constitute “a serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations.” 

Israel ignored Egypt’s warning and shortly after seizing control of the corridor, announced it had discovered 50 Hamas tunnels running between Gaza and Egypt that crossed through the Philadelphi Corridor. 

In September 2024, Netanyahu made a presentation in Hebrew, explaining the strategic importance of maintaining control over the border despite the latter’s concerns. 

An analysis piece written at the end of 2024 revealed that, despite Egyptian denials, the buildup of forces in the Sinai and the focus of Egyptian military training in recent years all pointed to a conflict with Israel. 

While Israel has expressed its concerns to the U.S. government, during the previous administration of President Joe Biden, as well as with current President Donald Trump, Washington has continued providing military aid to Egypt. 

Egypt has denied reports that the peace treaty with Israel is in jeopardy, even as it has taken aggressive steps against the Israeli government, refusing the appointment of a new Israeli ambassador and joining the ICJ "genocide" suit against Israel. 

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently accused the Egyptian government of “imprisoning against their will residents in Gaza who want to leave a war zone,” referring to Egypt’s refusal to allow Gaza residents to flee into its territory.

While Egypt has accused Israel of forcibly displacing Palestinians in Gaza, it has overlooked evidence—such as a recent Gallup poll showing that more than half of Gaza’s residents wish to leave the enclave.

Egypt has historically been a key mediator between Israel and Hamas; however, over the past decade, the terror group has increasingly favored Qatar, whose leaders have provided financial aid to Hamas and hosted its leadership in exile.

Some analysts believe that Egypt’s recent moves, including its alternate proposal for a post-war Gaza and numerous hostage-ceasefire proposals, have largely been an attempt to regain prominence and reclaim its role as a key mediator in the eyes of the West. Egypt has been dependent on Western aid since the Arab Spring to prevent an economic decline and to maintain political stability. 

Ambassador Huckabee’s visit will likely aim to include Egypt in end-of-war discussions while reducing friction between the two countries that will be most affected by the post-war situation in Gaza.