Israeli media outlets reported Friday that Egypt has presented a fresh proposal aimed at securing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and facilitating a prisoner exchange between Israel and Palestinian factions.
According to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Cairo’s initiative seeks to reconcile the differing positions held by Israel and Hamas.
The new proposal, reportedly submitted within the last day, aims to bridge the existing gaps between the involved parties.
While specific details of the Egyptian proposal remain undisclosed, KAN indicated that it falls between previous offers from mediators Egypt and Qatar, which involved the release of five living prisoners, and Israel’s counter-proposal demanding the release of eleven living captives held in Gaza.
As of now, Egypt has not issued any official statement regarding this latest mediation effort.
Israel estimates that 59 individuals remain as hostages in Gaza, with at least 22 believed to be alive.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in a devastating toll, with over 50,600 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, killed in Gaza since Israel’s military offensive began in October 2023.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister for alleged war crimes, and Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
