El-Sisi Reveals A new Two-day Ceasefire Proposal Including Exchange of Prisoners
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi revealed on Sunday an Egyptian initiative for a ceasefire in Gaza for two days in which four Israeli captives are exchanged for a number of Palestinian prisoners. The president said the initiative is a preliminary step for a more lengthy ceasefire.
This came during the press conference with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo.
El-Sisi stated that over the past few days, Egypt has made efforts to launch an initiative aimed at moving the situation forward by establishing a two-day ceasefire.
This initiative would allow for the exchange of four Israeli captives with a number Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
The negotiations would then proceed within ten days to finalize measures in the Gaza Strip with the goal of achieving a complete ceasefire and ensuring the entry of aid, he added.
“Our brothers in Gaza are enduring an extremely harsh siege, nearing the point of starvation, and it is crucial for aid to reach them as swiftly as possible,” El-Sisi said during the press conference.
He also stated that there was a full agreement between Egypt and Algeria on the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of captives and detainees.
El-Sisi’s announcement about the new initiative comes as Qatar’s Doha hosts another round of talks, which will kick off on Sunday between the officials of Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Israel in the hope of reaching a ceasefire agreement.
On Thursday, a high-level Egyptian security and military team met with the Mossad chief and a delegation from Shin Bet to discuss the ongoing situation in Gaza and attempts to resume talks. Simultaneously, a delegation from Hamas arrived in Cairo to meet an Egyptian security delegation and discuss the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip.
Since October 2023, Israel has killed and injured over 140,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, damaged most of Gaza’s infrastructure, and displaced the majority of the population.
Egypt, along with the US and Qatar, has been mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal during the more-than-one-year Israeli war on Gaza.
