Israel’s war cabinet is set to discuss an ambitious proposal presented by Egypt to end the ongoing war in Gaza with a ceasefire. The proposal, developed in collaboration with Qatar, aims to bring about a united technocratic Palestinian government in Gaza, with Israel fully withdrawing from the strip and the release of captives held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners. The plan includes multiple stages of captive and prisoner exchanges, as well as talks to reunite Palestinian factions Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
According to reports, in the initial phase of the proposal, Hamas would release all civilian captives in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners over a truce period of 7-10 days. In the second stage, Hamas would release all female Israeli soldiers in return for more Palestinian prisoners, during another weeklong truce. Finally, a month of negotiations would take place to discuss the release of all military personnel held by Hamas in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, while Israel would pull back to Gaza’s borders.
The plan also involves the appointment of a government of experts to run the West Bank and Gaza, ahead of future elections. Egypt would lead the talks to reunite Palestinian factions and facilitate the formation of the united government.
However, experts note that the proposal may face challenges gaining traction with both sides. Israel’s war cabinet, which has been under pressure to bring home remaining captives, is divided and may struggle to accept some of the deal’s terms. Additionally, there are concerns that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s goal of eradicating Hamas may hinder the acceptance of the proposal.
There are already suggestions that Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have rejected the proposal to relinquish power in the Gaza Strip. Israel, on the other hand, is entering its 12th week of a devastating air and ground campaign in Gaza, resulting in a high number of casualties and displacement of Palestinians.
The proposal is seen as a preliminary step towards ending the war in Gaza, but its success remains uncertain. As Israel’s war cabinet discusses the proposal, the international community awaits further developments in the hopes of achieving peace and stability in the region.
