Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced Sunday a proposal for a two-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war that would include a hostage release and could pave the way for a "complete ceasefire".
Sisi, whose government has been involved in mediation efforts to end the Gaza war, proposed a "two-day ceasefire" during which "four hostages would be exchanged for some prisoners in Israeli jails", followed by more negotiations within 10 days aiming to secure "a complete ceasefire and the entry of aid" into the Gaza Strip, the president told a news conference in Cairo alongside his visiting Algerian counterpart.
Hamas officials on the other hand revealed to Asharq News on Sunday that the Palestinian group plans to propose a comprehensive deal to mediators in the Doha talks, aiming to end the war immediately. The proposal includes an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, coupled with a prisoner exchange that would release all Israeli hostages in a single phase.
A Hamas official stated, “Today, Egyptian, Qatari and American mediators are meeting with Israeli negotiators. We will listen to the proposals they bring, but we favor a comprehensive, single-stage deal that ends the war permanently, alongside a prisoner exchange in which all Israeli detainees are released in return for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.”
The official added, “Of course, we are open to other ideas the mediators might present, but our acceptance starts with stopping the war.”
He continued, “Israel is conducting a campaign of genocide in northern Gaza, with killings, destruction, displacement and starvation targeting people, homes, shelters, hospitals and more. Without halting this war, no agreement will be reached.”
Resumption of negotiations
Doha is currently hosting meetings aimed at reviving ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and facilitating a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas, with the presence of US and Israeli intelligence officials. Qatar, Egypt and the US have been mediating ongoing talks between Israel and Hamas, which stalled in August without achieving a resolution to the conflict.
The previous negotiations collapsed after Israel insisted on maintaining a military presence along the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt and refused to withdraw from the zones separating northern Gaza from the center and south.
Recently, following the Israeli assassination of Hamas political leader Yahya Sinwar, the US proposed that mediators resume efforts to secure a prisoner exchange agreement.
Hamas officials reiterated to Asharq News that they “will not accept any deal that does not include ending the war,” rejecting past Israeli proposals such as exiling Hamas leaders in return for a deal that lacks a commitment to cease hostilities and withdraw.
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