Amid escalating violence near the Egypt-Gaza border, Egypt will likely face domestic backlash for its ties with Israel, and faces the prospect of an additional backlash in the event of an influx of Palestinian refugees into Egypt. Despite long-standing diplomatic relations and a pragmatic working relationship with Israel, Cairo is hesitant to appear too pro-Israel for fear of losing legitimacy with its people and the wider Arab world amid potential mass Palestinian casualties. Its efforts to navigate the issue will become even trickier ahead of presidential elections in December, in which President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will seek another term. In the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attacks that began Oct. 7, Cairo issued a relatively neutral statement encouraging de-escalation in the region.