Bayraktar and Gaza: ‘Israel’s Growing Concerns Over Turkiye-Egypt Relations
A drone deal between Turkiye and Egypt is expected to be announced soon.
The rapidly growing ties between Egypt and Turkiye are raising concerns in “Israel,” where relations with Turkiye have severely deteriorated following the Israeli devastating assault on Gaza since last October.
The deepening relationship between the two former rivals comes as “Israel” faces intense international criticism for its genocide in Gaza and braces for the potential expansion of the conflict, given Iran and its proxies’ intentions to retaliate for recent Israeli assassinations in Tehran and Beirut.
However, some in “Israel” believe that this rapprochement is unlikely to prompt Egypt to alter its relations with “Israel,” as Cairo is focused on limiting Ankara’s involvement in key Palestinian issues.
Ongoing Rapprochement
These concerns were reflected in a report by Maariv titled Bad News for Israel, which stated that “a drone deal between Turkiye and Egypt is expected to be announced soon.”
The report, published on August 7, 2024, explained that the deal could be part of a series of agreements to be revealed during the upcoming visit of the Head of the Egyptian regime Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to Ankara.
Sisi’s forthcoming visit to Turkiye (date not yet set) follows a similar visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Egypt in February 2024, marking the first visit in 12 years after a long period of estrangement between the two countries.
In February, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that Turkiye had agreed to supply Egypt with its increasingly popular drones, which had demonstrated exceptional performance in Libya and the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Fidan stated, without providing the details, "Normalizing relations is important for Egypt to acquire certain technologies. We have an agreement to provide them with drones and other technologies."
The Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone is recognized as one of the world’s best in terms of versatility and has previously proven its effectiveness in conflicts in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Amid strengthening ties with Egypt and escalating rhetoric towards “Israel,” Fidan visited the Rafah border crossing on the Egyptian side on August 4, where he conducted an inspection and called on the Islamic world to unite to save the people of Gaza.
This visit marked the first by a Turkish official since Israeli forces took control of the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphi Route between Egypt and Gaza.
From Rafah, Fidan emphasized the need to increase pressure on “Israel” to stop the genocide in Gaza.
"The region cannot withstand further provocations. Those who control Israel must keep it on a tight leash," comparing the Israeli regime to a dog that needs to be restrained.
During his visit, Fidan met with Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and held separate meetings with the Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, as well as extended discussions with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, who noted the positive trajectory of relations between Egypt and Turkiye.
According to an unnamed source cited by Maariv, much of Fidan’s two-day visit to Egypt "remained hidden behind closed doors."
The report also noted the likelihood of an upcoming announcement regarding a drone deal between the two countries, including Bayraktar drones.
The Hebrew newspaper highlighted the deterioration in Turkish-Israeli relations due to Turkiye’s stance on the Gaza war, recalling the comprehensive trade ban imposed by Ankara on Tel Aviv since May 2024.
It pointed out that as relations between Israel and Turkiye have soured, Ankara and Cairo have drawn closer in recent months.
Limits of Involvement
Despite the growing rapprochement, it is unlikely that Erdogan will be able to contribute significantly to the diplomatic effort aimed at securing a ceasefire, despite Turkiye’s attempts over the previous months.
At least in terms of rhetoric, Erdogan can position himself as a partner, though this partnership is more symbolic than substantial, according to the Hebrew newspaper.
On February 15, Haaretz stated in a report that for Erdogan, dealing with the Palestinian issue is a matter of ideology, values, and ethics, positioning himself as a defender of the oppressed as a Muslim leader should.
However, for Sisi, the issue represents a tangible and almost existential threat and a diplomatic matter that defines his status as a regional and, in this process, a global leader.
The newspaper noted that Erdogan freely criticizes “Israel,” likening Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, and summoning the Turkish ambassador in Ankara.
However, while Sisi may adopt a similarly tough and cautious diplomatic tone that could strain Egypt-”Israel” relations, he does so with a deep understanding of the significance of these ties and the mutual cooperation between both sides.
Further, the newspaper highlighted that the Palestinian issue, which caused the 2010 rift between “Israel” and Turkiye after a Turkish flotilla attempted to break the Gaza blockade, is ironically what strengthened the military and diplomatic collaboration between Cairo and Tel Aviv.
This cooperation has reached the point of mutual dependency in efforts to manage the regional influence of the Palestinian cause, particularly concerning Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Despite the resumption of diplomatic relations, including the appointment of ambassadors and Erdogan’s "historic" visit to Cairo, the bitter memories of the past decade linger.
The Arab Spring created a significant rift between Erdogan and Sisi, especially after the Egyptian general deposed President Mohamed Morsi, imprisoned him, and seized power in 2013.
The newspaper concluded that burying the hatchet between Erdogan and Sisi won’t grant Turkiye a meaningful foothold in the current military conflict, which erupted on October 7 and has the potential to escalate into a regional war.
Maximizing Areas of Agreement
For example, early in the Israeli offensive, Turkiye proposed an initiative known as the "guarantee system" after the UN Security Council failed to pass a Russian resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza on October 17, 2023.
This system was intended to allow Turkiye to have a tangible presence on the ground—politically, humanitarianly, and militarily—making it a key player in the equation.
The idea was for Turkiye to be part of a guarantor group for the Palestinian side to secure a ceasefire and then transform it into a sustainable truce, with another group guaranteeing the Israeli side.
On October 25, 2023, Erdogan stated that the proposal is currently the most realistic and effective way to reach a practical solution to the conflict, at least in the short and medium term.
He emphasized that "we are ready to be one of the guarantors for the Palestinian side with our humanitarian, political, and military presence."
Erdogan also urged nations interested in resolving this issue to consider the proposal promptly, take concrete steps, and open the doors to peace.
However, the proposal did not gain traction with the international community or “Israel,” which prefers Egyptian mediation and the involvement of military forces from so-called moderate Arab states like Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia for managing Gaza's aftermath.
Ali Bakir, a professor of international relations at the Ibn Khaldon Center for Humanities & Social Sciences at Qatar University, noted that “Ankara has previously attempted to increase its influence over the Palestinian issue through political efforts and mediation, especially between 2002 and 2009, followed by media pressure campaigns.”
He added that Turkiye also engaged through civil society initiatives like the naval campaigns aimed at breaking the Gaza blockade – an example is the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010.
However, Bakir acknowledged in a December 2023 article that “such efforts no longer match the level needed to address Israeli crimes or secure Turkiye a significant role in the Palestinian issue amid the current hard power struggle in the region.”
Despite this, Turkiye is leveraging its growing relationship with Egypt to help resolve the increasingly complex conflict.
Egyptian journalist Samir Alaraki, who specializes in Turkish affairs, explained that cooperation between Ankara and Cairo is "clearly focused on delivering humanitarian aid and working with other parties to reach a ceasefire agreement."
In an interview with Al-Estiklal, Alaraki noted that Turkiye supports the efforts of Egyptian and Qatari mediators in this regard, emphasizing that Turkish policy aims to unite Islamic countries in confronting Israeli aggression.
According to Alaraki, Ankara seeks to address differences with regional states on the Palestinian issue discreetly, avoiding media conflicts and focusing on maximizing areas of agreement and collaboration.
