Tel Aviv: The Israeli government is awaiting Hamas’ response to an Egyptian proposal for a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap deal, as reported by Israeli media on Wednesday. The proposal has stirred considerable anticipation within Israeli circles, with the Israeli public broadcaster KAN indicating that any positive feedback from Hamas would prompt Israel to dispatch its negotiating delegation to Cairo without delay.
According to Anadolu Agency, Egypt has presented a plan proposing a 60-day truce coupled with a prisoner exchange between Palestinian factions and Israel. This plan suggests that Israel would maintain its military presence in Gaza throughout the truce period. Additionally, the proposal includes reopening the Gaza’s Rafah crossing in December, with the Palestinian Authority managing the Palestinian side of the crossing under European supervision, overseen by Israel. Hamas, in turn, would completely withdraw from the crossing.
As of now, there has been no official comment from Egypt, Hamas, or Is
rael regarding the reported proposal. Israel, which currently detains over 10,000 Palestinian individuals, estimates that 101 hostages are being held in Gaza. Hamas has claimed that 33 of these hostages were killed in the ongoing Israeli airstrikes.
Efforts to mediate a cease-fire and prisoner swap, led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar, have been hindered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s steadfast decision to persist with military operations. Israel’s offensive on Gaza, initiated following a Hamas attack last October, has resulted in the deaths of over 44,500 people, primarily women and children, and injuries to nearly 106,000 individuals.
The ongoing conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza have sparked increasing international condemnation. Many officials and institutions condemn the attacks and the blockade of aid deliveries as deliberate actions targeting the destruction of a population. On November 21, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former D
efense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Concurrently, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice concerning its military actions in Gaza.