Israel-Gaza ceasefire plan on table, Palestinian official says
Mediators from Egypt and Qatar have proposed a new plan to establish a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, according to a senior Palestinian official, as reported by the BBC on April 21st.
The proposed agreement includes a truce lasting five to seven years, the liberation of all Israeli hostages in return for Palestinian captives, an official end to the ongoing conflict, and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
This development follows the collapse of the previous ceasefire in March. As reported by the Middle East Eye on March 18th and cited by Levantis, the truce ended when Israel launched an attack that killed over 300 Palestinians without prior warning. The victims were reportedly civilians who had been displaced by the conflict.
Meanwhile, a senior Hamas delegation was due to meet with Egyptian officials to explore the new proposal, as reported by France 24 via AFP on April 22nd and cited by Levantis. The visit follows Hamas’s rejection of Israel’s earlier offer, which demanded a six-week truce and the disarmament of Hamas.
Hamas has reportedly shown “unprecedented flexibility,” even indicating that it is prepared to hand over Gaza’s governance to a nationally and regionally agreed Palestinian entity.
BBC, France 24 via AFP, Middle East Eye
