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Egypt Suggests 48-Hour Gaza Truce in Effort to Revive Larger Peace Talks


The plan entails Hamas exchanging four Israeli hostages for certain Palestinian detainees in Israel and a temporary halt in the conflict.

A two-day cease-fire in the Gaza Strip has been proposed by Egypt to facilitate a broader agreement to bring an end to the prolonged Israel–Hamas war that has been ongoing for over a year.

Under the Egyptian proposal, Hamas would release four hostages taken on October 7, 2023, in return for the release of some Palestinian detainees held in Israel and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged territory.

During a joint press conference with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on October 27, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi outlined the short-term cease-fire.

Egypt has been a key mediator in the discussions between Israel and Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.

In negotiations last November, a week-long lull in fighting was achieved, during which approximately 100 of the 250 hostages taken by the terrorists on October 7, 2023, were released by Hamas, while Israel freed around 240 Palestinian detainees.

The Israeli military campaign in Gaza was initiated in response to the attacks last year, which resulted in an estimated 1,200 casualties and numerous injuries.

For several months, negotiators have been working on a phased agreement to achieve a lasting cease-fire in Gaza and secure the release of approximately 100 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip.

In May, U.S. President Joe Biden introduced a three-phase framework, but talks hit a roadblock in August. Following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli forces earlier this month, the Biden administration has indicated renewed optimism for a permanent cease-fire.

With his proposal for a short-term cease-fire, Sisi expressed confidence that this interim agreement could help progress towards a more permanent solution.

It remains to be seen whether Israel and Hamas will accept the Egyptian proposal.

A statement issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on October 24 thanked Egypt for being prepared to resume cease-fire negotiations. Netanyahu’s office has not yet commented on the specifics of Sisi’s proposal.

The Epoch Times reached out to Netanyahu’s office for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

Netanyahu’s office revealed that the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service traveled to Doha, Qatar, late last week to advance undisclosed initiatives. The Qatari government has also been heavily involved in the cease-fire talks, along with the United States.

When asked about the Egyptian proposal during a press briefing on October 28, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated, “I don’t want to discuss any specific proposals from this platform. It is not beneficial to publicly disclose them.”

The Gaza Health Ministry, operating under Hamas’ political authority in the Gaza Strip, estimates that over 43,000 individuals have perished in Gaza since the conflict began last year.

Accurate casualty figures cannot be independently confirmed at this time, and the ministry does not differentiate between combatants and noncombatants.

In recent weeks, the Biden administration has been urging Israel to increase its humanitarian assistance to civilians in the Gaza Strip.

On October 13, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Israeli officials, urging the government to take specific steps to enhance humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

The letter cautioned that inadequate action by Israel could impact continued U.S. support for the country and gave Israel a 30-day deadline to make improvements. However, the U.S. government has not specified the consequences that may follow if Israel fails to sufficiently enhance conditions in Gaza.

Blinken announced a new $135 million U.S. humanitarian aid package for Gaza last week.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this article.



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