Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has proposed a two-day truce and a limited hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas, with the goal of securing a full ceasefire following a year of intense conflict. This proposal, announced at a Cairo press conference, includes the release of four Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. Sisi also mentioned the potential for continued negotiations within the next ten days, although he did not confirm if this plan had been formally presented to Israel or Hamas.
Egypt has been actively mediating talks with support from Qatar and the United States, though progress has been slow. Amidst these diplomatic efforts, Israel has intensified its military actions in Gaza and is also engaged in conflicts with Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as carrying out retaliatory strikes against Iran. This escalation follows an Iranian missile attack on Israel earlier this month, leading to global calls for restraint. An emergency UN Security Council meeting is scheduled at Iran’s request to address the situation.
The ongoing violence has had severe repercussions, with rising death tolls in both Lebanon and Gaza. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes targeted a school sheltering displaced civilians, killing at least nine. This comes as Gaza faces a humanitarian crisis, with the UN and Egyptian President Sisi urging for urgent aid access, citing severe shortages of food and medical supplies.
Israeli officials, under public pressure to negotiate for the hostages’ release, are seeking alternatives to military action. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have hinted at the necessity for “painful concessions” to reach a deal, highlighting the complex, multi-front challenges that Israel faces amidst this crisis.
