Gaza hostage deal in focus as Egypt, US discuss ceasefire path

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a phone call on April 9 with US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to discuss efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the Arab initiative for the enclave’s reconstruction, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry reported.

According to the Israeli outlet Walla, the conversation focused on intensifying diplomatic efforts to halt the ongoing conflict in Gaza, per Caliber.Az.

Minister Abdelatty underscored the urgent need for unimpeded delivery of humanitarian and medical aid, along with shelter provisions for displaced civilians in Gaza. 

He also highlighted the necessity of establishing a political framework that could lead to a lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, specifically one based on the creation of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The call comes amid renewed Egyptian mediation efforts. On April 7, the London-based Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, citing an informed Egyptian source, reported that Cairo had put forward a new ceasefire proposal aimed at breaking the deadlock between Hamas and Israel.

The proposed deal reportedly includes the release of eight hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a ceasefire lasting between 40 and 70 days. According to the source, the plan serves as a compromise between Hamas’s offer to release five hostages in return for a 50-day truce and Israel’s demand for the release of 11 hostages alive. The plan stipulates that the release of the eight hostages would take place in phases, rather than all at once. So far, neither Hamas nor Israel has issued a final response to the proposal.

As of now, Hamas continues to hold 59 hostages in Gaza. This number includes 58 of the 251 people abducted by Hamas-led militants during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The Israel Defense Forces have confirmed that among those still held are the bodies of at least 35 individuals who were killed.

By Tamilla Hasanova