The plan was announced to leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, when the heads of both movements visited the Egyptian capital last week.
Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip. Photo: Reuters
Sources close to Hamas said Cairo's three-phase plan includes a renewable ceasefire, the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and finally a ceasefire to end the war in Gaza.
It also facilitates the establishment of a Palestinian administration with the participation of "all Palestinian factions" who would be responsible for governance and reconstruction in Gaza after the war.
Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt's State Information Agency, confirmed on Thursday that Cairo had presented "a framework to bring together the views of all relevant parties, with the aim of ending the bloodshed in Gaza… and restoring peace and security in the region."
“The proposal includes three consecutive and interconnected phases leading to a ceasefire,” Rashwan said in a statement. He added that Egypt had yet to receive a response to the initiative, but would make “details” public once it received a response from all parties involved.
A Hamas leader spoke on Thursday about the planned visit by the Qatar-based Hamas political office. “A high-level delegation from the Hamas political office will arrive in Cairo tomorrow to meet with Egyptian officials and present the Palestinian factions’ responses, including some views, to the plan,” he said.
The official said these views focused on “the modalities of the exchange… and the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, as well as achieving guarantees for a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza”.
Israel vowed to destroy Hamas after the group attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,140 people. According to Gaza's health authority, Israeli retaliatory attacks have killed at least 21,320 people in the territory, mostly women and children.
Qatar, with the backing of Egypt and the United States, last month helped broker an initial, week-long ceasefire in Gaza, in which 80 Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Hoang Anh (according to AFP, Reuters, CNA)
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