Egyptian Political Parties Discuss Boycotting Elections, Fate of Anan

Members of the presidential campaign of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi count boxes containing his new presidential candidacy papers at the National Election Authority in Cairo, Egypt, January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
Members of the presidential campaign of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi count boxes containing his new presidential candidacy papers at the National Election Authority in Cairo, Egypt, January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
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Egyptian Political Parties Discuss Boycotting Elections, Fate of Anan

Members of the presidential campaign of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi count boxes containing his new presidential candidacy papers at the National Election Authority in Cairo, Egypt, January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
Members of the presidential campaign of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi count boxes containing his new presidential candidacy papers at the National Election Authority in Cairo, Egypt, January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Political parties and Egyptian figures, belonging to the opposition Democratic Alliance, will hold an emergency meeting on Saturday to take a unified stance from the presidential elections scheduled for end of March.

Democratic Alliance officials told Asharq Al-Awsat that “they will discuss several topics, including boycotting the elections and the fate of Sami Anan who is undergoing a military investigation after expressing willingness to take part in the elections.”

The gatherers are expected to include members of the Constitution Party, which has been established by Mohamed ElBaradei, and the Dignity Party as well as the Egyptian Popular Current.

So far only President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has officially submitted his application to run for a second four-year term. He is expected to enjoy sweeping victory.

Parliament deputy speaker and prominent figure in the nationalist liberal Wafd Party Suleiman Wahdan told Asharq Al-Awsat that the party’s higher council was mulling to propose a presidential candidate.

Egyptian Member of Parliament Mustafa Bakri confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that several candidates will run in the elections.

Head of the Supreme Media Regulatory Council Makram Mohamed Ahmed expected the same scenario.

Parliamentarian Mortada Mansour stated to Asharq Al-Awsat that “Sisi needs a second term because four years are not enough.”

Egyptian Politician Mostafa El-Feki stated to the newspaper that the majority of Egyptians want to grant Sisi a new term to proceed with what he has already started, regardless of any democratic considerations.

Feki attributed the absence of real competition to several issues including “the weakness of parties in Egypt.”

In his turn, Ambassador Massoum Marzouk revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that participants in Saturday’s meeting are expected to announce a boycott of the elections so that Sisi fails to get the required five percent.

Another suggestion is to cast a no vote.

The electoral commission stressed in a statement on Thursday that it stands at equal distance from all candidates and acts impartially based on the constitution.



Hamas Says it's Open to Gaza Truce but Stops Short of Accepting a Trump-backed Proposal

A Palestinian girl stands atop the rubble of the Al-Aimawi family’s home that was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Al-Zawaideh, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
A Palestinian girl stands atop the rubble of the Al-Aimawi family’s home that was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Al-Zawaideh, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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Hamas Says it's Open to Gaza Truce but Stops Short of Accepting a Trump-backed Proposal

A Palestinian girl stands atop the rubble of the Al-Aimawi family’s home that was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Al-Zawaideh, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
A Palestinian girl stands atop the rubble of the Al-Aimawi family’s home that was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Al-Zawaideh, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Hamas suggested Wednesday that it was open to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, but stopped short of accepting a US-backed proposal announced by President Donald Trump hours earlier, insisting on its longstanding position that any deal bring an end to the war in Gaza.

Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. The US leader has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to broker a ceasefire, and hostage agreement and bring about an end to the war.

Trump said the 60-day period would be used to work toward ending the war — something Israel says it won't accept until Hamas is defeated. He said that a deal might come together as soon as next week.

But Hamas' response, which emphasized its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialize into an actual pause in fighting, according to The AP news.

Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said that the militant group was “ready and serious regarding reaching an agreement.”

He said Hamas was “ready to accept any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war.”

A Hamas delegation is expected to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the proposal, according to an Egyptian official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, because he wasn't authorized to discuss the talks with the media.

Disagreement on how the war should end Throughout the nearly 21-month-long war, ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have repeatedly faltered over whether the war should end as part of any deal.

Hamas said in a brief statement Wednesday that it had received a proposal from the mediators and is holding talks with them to “bridge gaps” to return to the negotiating table to try to reach a ceasefire agreement.

Hamas has said that it's willing to free the remaining 50 hostages, less than half of whom are said to be alive, in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war.

Israel says it will only agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and exiles itself, something the group refuses to do.

An Israeli official said that the latest proposal calls for a 60-day deal that would include a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid to the territory. The mediators and the US would provide assurances about talks to end the war, but Israel isn't committing to that as part of the latest proposal, the official said.

The official wasn't authorized to discuss the details of the proposed deal with the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

It wasn't clear how many hostages would be freed as part of the agreement, but previous proposals have called for the release of about 10.

Israel has yet to publicly comment on Trump's announcement. On Monday, Trump is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, days after Ron Dermer, a senior Netanyahu adviser, held discussions with top US officials about Gaza, Iran and other matters.

Trump issues another warning On Tuesday, Trump wrote on social media that Israel had "agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War.”

“I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” he said.

Trump’s warning may find a skeptical audience with Hamas. Even before the expiration of the war’s longest ceasefire in March, Trump has repeatedly issued dramatic ultimatums to pressure Hamas to agree to longer pauses in the fighting that would see the release of more hostages and a return of more aid for Gaza’s civilians.

Still, Trump views the current moment as a potential turning point in the brutal conflict that has left more than 57,000 dead in the Palestinian territory.

Gaza's Health Ministry said the death toll passed the 57,000 mark Tuesday into Wednesday, after hospitals received 142 bodies overnight.