Egypt proposes peace plan for Gaza for the first time
Photo: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (wikipedia.org)
Egypt proposed a two-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to free four hostages detained in the Gaza Strip, according to Euro News.
Speaking in Cairo on Sunday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi proposed a two-day truce, also suggesting the release of some Palestinian prisoners and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave.
The Egyptian leader stated that the proposal aims to "move the situation forward." According to him, once the two-day ceasefire takes effect, talks will continue to make it permanent.
Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have emerged as key mediators in the initiative.
This marks the first time Egypt’s president has publicly suggested such a plan. Israel and Hamas have yet to respond to the proposal.
Painful compromises
Meanwhile, Israel’s Mossad chief visited Doha, Qatar, on Sunday for discussions with the country’s prime minister and the CIA chief.
At an official memorial event commemorating the October 7 attack, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remarked that “not every goal can be achieved through military operations.” According to him, securing the release of hostages will require “painful compromises.”
Israel-Hamas war
On October 7, 2023, fighters from Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group, launched an attack on Israel from Gaza. Over 1,200 people were killed on the first day of fighting, with an additional 250 Israeli civilians and soldiers taken hostage by militants.
In the weeks following the incursion, the IDF launched a large-scale military operation in the enclave, which continues to this day.
Fighting in Gaza has persisted without interruption for 11 months. The only pause in hostilities occurred in November when 105 hostages were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Egypt's proposal came the day after Israel launched strikes on Iran on October 26 in response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack earlier this month.
The Israeli military targeted Tehran and several other Iranian cities, focusing primarily on military sites.
The IDF reportedly hit Iran’s secret military bases. The country has temporarily suspended production of ballistic missiles.
Iran’s Supreme Leader stated that the attack should “neither be exaggerated nor underestimated” but refrained from calling for retaliation. This marked Israel’s first open strike against its adversary.
Massive missile exchanges between Israel and Iran and their allied groups are fueling concerns of an escalating regional war in the Middle East.
