Gas deal with Israel will not influence Cairo’s Gaza stance: Prime Minister

CAIRO – 13 August 2025: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has dismissed claims that Egypt’s recent natural gas agreement with Israel’s Leviathan gas field could influence Cairo’s political stance amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

Partners in Leviathan gas field signed a $35 billion deal to supply natural gas to Egypt, according to NewMed Energy, one of the Israeli partners, on Thursday.

The agreement — reportedly the largest export deal in Israel’s history — will see approximately 130 billion cubic meters of gas delivered to Egypt through 2040, or until the full contracted volume is supplied.

The deal has sparked public debate in Egypt over its political implications, particularly as Cairo continues to lead international calls for an end to what it has described as a “war of genocide and starvation” by Israel in Gaza.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Madbouly emphasized that the deal is merely an extension of a pre-existing agreement signed in 2019, well before the current Gaza war, and has never impacted Egypt’s firm position on Palestine.

“This agreement has been in place since 2019,” Madbouly said, emphasizing that over the past two years of war in Gaza, the agreement “has had no negative effect on Egypt’s strong and clear stance — which has, from the very beginning, rejected all attempts to eliminate the Palestinian cause or forcibly displace our Palestinian brothers from their land.”

He reiterated that Egypt’s position is clear and consistent, and “will not be influenced by such agreements.”

“Had it not been for Egypt’s firm position from day one, who knows what might have become of the displacement plans or efforts to liquidate the Palestinian cause,” he added.

The prime minister highlighted Egypt’s status as a “regional energy hub,” stating that the agreement is part of the nation’s ongoing efforts to maintain its position as the primary center for this vital commodity in the region for decades to come.