Egypt has proposed a two-day ceasefire in Gaza to exchange four Israeli hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday.
At a press conference with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Sisi said that “discussions for a permanent ceasefire could start within 10 days after the temporary truce.”
Although Israel and Hamas have yet to respond, a Palestinian official close to the talks said that “while Hamas may consider the offer, it insists any deal must include an end to the war and Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.”
Israel has stated it will continue military operations until Hamas is eliminated. Talks to end the war resumed in Qatar, with U.S. and Israeli intelligence officials participating.
The U.S., Qatar, and Egypt are leading efforts to negotiate an end to the war, which erupted after Hamas fighters entered southern Israel on October 7 last year, killing 1,200 people and capturing over 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
As negotiations continue, the U.N. has expressed deep concern about the humanitarian crisis in northern Gaza, describing conditions as “unbearable.” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the high levels of civilian death, destruction, and deprivation, highlighting that “civilians are trapped, facing food and medical shortages, and even separation and detention.”
An airstrike onatabalia refugee camp killed 20 people on Sunday, while another hit a school in Shati camp, killing nine, including three local journalists.
The Israeli military reported killing over 40 Hamas members and dismantling infrastructure in Jabalia over the past 24 hours, with strikes on Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya killing an estimated 800 people during the past three weeks, according to Gaza health officials.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that Israeli retaliatory strikes have killed nearly 43,000 people, devastating the area.