Egypt Proposes Two-Day Gaza Ceasefire for Israel-Hamas Hostage Exchange
In a matter related to diplomacy, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has offered a two-day truce in Gaza to exchange four Israeli hostages detained in Hamas’ custody for the Palestinian detainees. This he said during a bilateral press briefing with the president of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Cairo this week as bombardments across the Gaza strip ensued causing 45 Palestinians’ death. The move comes as diplomatic relations in Qatar are being renewed at a high level, and now CIA and Mossad chiefs are in talks.
Diplomatic Diplomacy and Hamas’s Position
According to Reuters, President Sisi stressed that it is necessary to start new negotiations no later than 10 days after the temporary cease of hostilities to find a solution to the conflict. At the time of writing, official responses from Israel and Hamas are still awaited; however, a Palestinian official involved in mediations said that Hamas is ready to consider new bids while refraining from the provision of any cease-fire agreement that does not put an end to the war and demand the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have all stuck to efforts to resolve the conflict which started on the 7th of October last year with a Hamas attack on southern Israel. The first strike caused 1,200 people killed and more than 260 hostages: for these reasons, Israel announced it would destroy Hamas as a military and political power in Gaza.
Humanitarian Crisis and Conflict Persists
Gaza health authorities put the toll from the Israeli air and ground counterattacks at 42,000 and considerable losses in human lives and property. The populated area has been devastated and abandoned which has led to the formation of a massive humanitarian crisis that has attracted international concern and attention for an immediate need for action. The situation in Israel remains the same there won’t be any cease-fire in Gaza until Hamas is fully destroyed as claimed by the Israelis.
