Egypt has proposed a two-day ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate a possible exchange of four Israeli hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced the initiative on Sunday, October 27, amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes that reportedly resulted in 45 Palestinian deaths across Gaza.
Speaking alongside Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Cairo, President Sisi highlighted the importance of returning to negotiations within ten days of the ceasefire’s implementation. Although Israel and Hamas have yet to respond formally to the proposal, a Palestinian official involved in mediation indicated that Hamas is open to the plan but insists on conditions for a broader end to hostilities and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The conflict, which intensified after an October 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel that left 1,200 Israelis dead and saw over 250 hostages taken, has devastated Gaza. The toll from Israeli airstrikes and ground assaults has reached nearly 43,000 fatalities, according to local health officials, leaving the region in widespread ruin.
Ongoing discussions in Doha are reportedly focused on establishing the short-term ceasefire and negotiating the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The Egyptian-led talks aim to achieve a temporary cessation in fighting, with hopes of setting the stage for a longer-lasting peace agreement.
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