Egypt offers two-day ceasefire proposal for Gaza

Egypt proposed a two-day Gaza ceasefire on October 27 that would see Hamas free four hostages in exchange for some Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said the Egyptian proposal is intended to “move the situation forward” and that talks on a permanent ceasefire should commence within 10 days of implementing the deal for a two-day truce. Israel and Hamas have yet to respond. However, a Palestinian official told Reuters that he anticipated “Hamas would listen to the new offers” but that the Iran-backed terrorist group “remains determined that any agreement must end the war and get Israeli forces out of Gaza.” Israel has repeatedly stated that it cannot prematurely end the war if doing so allows Hamas, which has been badly damaged over the last year, to regroup.

El-Sisi’s announcement came as Mossad Director David Barnea and CIA Director William Burns met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha for the first round of ceasefire and hostage talks in two months. Both Egypt and Qatar have emerged as key mediators between Israel and Hamas. Historically, Cairo has mediated between Israel and Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza, having served this role during the 2014 Gaza war and again during the 2021 Gaza conflict.

In November 2023, Egypt and Qatar helped broker a seven-day pause during which Hamas released 81 Israeli hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. The pause collapsed on December 1 when Hamas refused to provide a list of the remaining women and children in captivity and resumed launching rockets at Israel.

Out of the more than 250 hostages Hamas seized on October 7, 2023, 101 remain captive in Gaza. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on October 24, “We don’t know if Hamas is ready to engage. I anticipate we will learn more in the coming days.”

News.Az