Egypt Proposes Two-Day Ceasefire in Gaza, Including Hostage Release

Egypt has proposed a two-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, during which four hostages held in Gaza would be released, The Associated Press reports, citing President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.

The proposal also includes the release of some Palestinian prisoners and the delivery of humanitarian aid to besieged Gaza, aiming to “move the situation forward,” according to the Egyptian president. El-Sissi said that negotiations would continue in order to make the cease-fire permanent.

However, there has been no immediate response from either Israel or Hamas. The latest talks regarding a potential ceasefire are expected to take place in Qatar, another key mediator in the conflict.

Talks for a longer, phased ceasefire have repeatedly stalled, with Hamas demanding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza as a precondition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has countered that Israeli forces will remain in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed. The last ceasefire, a week-long pause in fighting, occurred in November, shortly after the initial outbreak of the war.

Amidst these developments, Israel’s Mossad chief travelled to Doha on Sunday for talks with Qatar’s prime minister and the CIA chief, in an attempt to end the fighting and ease regional tensions that have escalated since Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7th, 2023.

The conflict has expanded beyond Gaza, with Israel now at war with both Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon. This weekend saw Israel launch its first open attack on Iran, the backer of both groups, in response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack earlier this month. Iran’s supreme leader stated that Israel’s strikes should not be “exaggerated nor downplayed,” while refraining from calling for retaliation.

During a memorial event in Israel commemorating the anniversary of the October 7 attack, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant acknowledged that “not every goal can be achieved through only military operations” and that “painful compromises will be required” to secure the return of the hostages.

However, protests erupted during Netanyahu’s speech at the event, with protesters shouting “Shame on you.” Many Israelis hold Netanyahu responsible for the security failures leading to the attack and are angered by the lack of progress in securing the release of the hostages.

Inside Gaza, the latest Israeli airstrikes in the north killed at least 33 people, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian officials. The offensive in the hard-hit and isolated region has entered its third week, with the UN Secretary-General calling the plight of Palestinians there “unbearable.” Israel maintains that the strikes targeted militants.