Egypt has put forward a proposal for a two-day ceasefire deal involving the exchange of four Israeli hostages in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. The announcement was made by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during a news conference on Sunday.
While the exact number of Palestinian prisoners to be released was not specified, the proposed agreement includes a provision for a 10-day negotiation period for a permanent ceasefire if the initial two-day ceasefire holds. The primary objective of the ceasefire is to facilitate the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Reports from Gaza indicate that the Israeli military has been restricting the distribution of aid in certain areas of northern Gaza due to ongoing military operations.
Egypt has been actively involved in mediating ceasefire discussions, working alongside the United States and Qatar. The country has also been in communication with Hamas officials as part of the negotiation process.
High-level talks aimed at restarting negotiations for the release of hostages and achieving a lasting ceasefire in Gaza resumed in Qatar on Sunday, marking a significant development after a two-month hiatus.
Notably, a number of hostages taken during the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, are still being held in Gaza, underscoring the urgency of reaching a resolution.
According to the Addameer Prisoner’s Support and Human Rights Association, as of April, over 9,500 Palestinians were detained in Israeli prisons, with more than 3,500 held without charges. These figures do not include detainees from Gaza, highlighting the complex humanitarian situation in the region.
