The Beirut newspaper Al-Akhbar revealed Egypt's plan aiming to secure the release of Israelis held in Gaza. Hamas rejected the plan, insisting on a complete ceasefire before negotiations.
The Egyptian plan involves three distinct stages.
Stage 1:
A 7 to 10-day humanitarian ceasefire aiming to liberate civilians held by Hamas. This includes women, children, elderly, and Israelis suffering from chronic illnesses. The count of Palestinian detainees released from prisons will be subject to separate discussions between the involved parties. Reports from other Arab media indicate an intent to release approximately 40 Israeli hostages as part of the Egyptian initiative.
At this stage, the IDF would have to withdraw its forces from residential areas, ensure civilian movement from south to north, permit vehicle traffic, cease the use of drones for surveillance, and guarantee humanitarian aid access across all Gaza areas.
Stage 2:
Female soldiers released for Palestinian prisoners (quantity to be later negotiated). This stage anticipates mutual exchange of deceased bodies held by both sides.
The third stage is anticipated to endure for a minimum of one month. Hamas intends to release all male soldiers in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. During this phase, the IDF is mandated to fully withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip, while Hamas commits to halting all hostilities against Israel.
As per the Egyptian proposal, a 48-hour "pause" will precede the initiation of each stage. During this period, Hamas and Israel, facilitated by intermediaries, must finalize the lists of individuals slated for release. Advancement to the next stage will only occur upon complete implementation of all aspects of the preceding stage.
The agreement's guarantors—Egypt, the United States, and Qatar—are tasked with establishing a technocratic government responsible for governing the Gaza Strip post-war.
Following the release of this information, Al-Akhbar's editors stated that they had received comments from Hamas. The terrorist group said they reject Egypt's proposal and would refrain from negotiations until a comprehensive ceasefire was established.
At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video addressing Israelis, affirming Israel's escalation of military operations in the Gaza Strip. He asserted that the conflict would persist until achieving a definitive victory over Hamas.
