Latest news with #Egyptian-mediated
Asharq Al-Awsat
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
New Proposals Revive Push to Resume Gaza Truce Talks
Mediators are working to break the deadlock in stalled negotiations over a renewed ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo to discuss what sources described as 'new ideas for de-escalation.' The diplomatic push comes as Israel's security cabinet convenes to review developments on the hostages taken by Hamas, and ahead of a potential visit by US President Donald Trump to the region next month, a move that could inject fresh momentum into the faltering talks, sources familiar with the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat. Efforts to resume the truce have intensified since a ceasefire agreement collapsed on March 18. Four previous proposals to restore calm have failed, but sources said the latest Egyptian-mediated initiative may pave the way for a temporary lull that could evolve into a broader ceasefire. Hamas will present a new proposal in Cairo that includes a five-point plan for a long-term ceasefire in Gaza, featuring a comprehensive prisoner exchange and regional and international guarantees, a source told Asharq Al-Awsat. The Hamas official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions, said the plan envisions a deal for the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners. The proposal also calls for a permanent ceasefire, a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction of the war-ravaged territory, and a complete lifting of the blockade. According to the source, Hamas is also prepared to commit to a five-year truce under international and regional oversight, should the proposal gain traction. Hamas is set to present a detailed five-point framework in Cairo, including a long-term truce and a comprehensive prisoner swap, aimed at ending the war in Gaza and restoring stability, they told Asharq Al-Awsat. The third point in the proposal calls for an immediate return to the situation prior to March 2, 2025, if the framework is approved. This includes a halt to military operations, Israeli troop withdrawal to positions held under the January 17 agreement, and the entry of humanitarian aid in line with a pre-agreed protocol. The fourth clause proposes the formation of a local committee of independent technocrats to fully administer Gaza, in accordance with Egypt's earlier suggestion for a community support council. The fifth and final point reaffirms Hamas' willingness to engage in a broader Palestinian national reconciliation based on previous intra-Palestinian agreements - most recently the 2024 Beijing accord. A Hamas delegation departed Doha for Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the new ceasefire proposal, a senior Hamas official told AFP. Meanwhile, the BBC quoted a senior Palestinian official as saying that Egyptian and Qatari mediators have put forward a serious new proposal for ending the war, involving a ceasefire lasting between five and seven years, the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and an official end to the conflict. The last ceasefire collapsed on March 18 when Israel resumed airstrikes in the Gaza Strip and refused to enter the second phase of a previously agreed roadmap. Multiple joint proposals from Egypt, Israel, and the United States in March and early April failed to bridge the divide between the warring parties. Hamas is stepping up diplomatic efforts to rally support for its proposed comprehensive ceasefire deal, days after receiving an Israeli proposal for a temporary truce via Egyptian mediators, Egyptian sources told Cairo News Channel last week. While Hamas did not explicitly reject the Israeli plan, which called for a short-term cessation of hostilities followed by negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire, the group responded with a televised statement demanding a broader agreement. Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using partial deals for political gain while failing to commit to ending the war. The Hamas delegation's visit to Cairo follows talks in Ankara on Sunday between senior Hamas official Mohammed Darwish and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Two Hamas sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday that the group is seeking Türkiye's backing to convey its comprehensive deal to the Trump administration, citing strong ties between the two. Hamas' diplomatic push comes amid growing international pressure to halt the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Political science professor Tarek Fahmy, an expert in Palestinian and Israeli affairs, said the Hamas delegation's visit is part of ongoing efforts to present new ideas for a ceasefire. Fahmy noted that while the concept of a long-term truce is not new, current mediation efforts are focused on achieving a temporary ceasefire, securing the release of as many hostages and Palestinian prisoners as possible, and presenting Hamas with options to end the war - even under pressure - in order to stop the worsening crisis in the enclave. 'Hamas has limited options,' Fahmy said, pointing to the group's diplomatic maneuvers amid Israel's intensified military campaign, which he said has resulted in Israeli forces taking control of around 40% of Gaza. Israel has not publicly commented on the latest mediation proposal, but Israeli Channel 12 reported that the country's security cabinet held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the issue of hostages. An Israeli delegation arrived in Cairo on Sunday evening and held talks the next day with mediators in a bid to break the deadlock in negotiations with Hamas over a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza, The Times of Israel reported on Tuesday. Egypt has not disclosed details of the latest diplomatic efforts, but Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed the situation with his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib, in Cairo on Tuesday. According to a statement from Egypt's foreign ministry, the talks focused on 'efforts to resume implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement to support de-escalation and restore the flow of humanitarian and relief aid into the Strip.' Fahmy said the recent developments reflect a renewed push by Egypt and Qatar to secure a breakthrough in the stalled talks. He suggested a deal could be reached before Trump's expected visit to the region next month.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hamas prepared for ‘serious' hostage release
Hamas has said it is prepared for a 'serious' hostage release following US pressure to accept a new Israeli proposal. It is understood that both sides have softened their positions, putting them on course for a potential deal to release approximately nine or 10 hostages in return for a new ceasefire in Gaza. The apparent movement in negotiations in the last 24 hours follows weeks of deadlock since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18. The operation has killed more than 1,500, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and prompted despair among the families of the remaining 59 hostages, of whom 24 are thought to be alive. Israel has seized significant territory in Gaza during that time, carving military corridors deep into the enclave, expanding its buffer zones and absorbing the entire southern city of Rafah into the no-go area. Recent discussions are believed to have stalled over the number of hostages to be released as part of a new deal. Israel reportedly demanded at least 11, in return for a ceasefire and other concessions, whereas Hamas were said to have offered only five. Late on Sunday, the Saudi news outlet al-Arabiya reported unnamed sources as saying there was 'initial agreement' from the terror group to increase the number of living hostages it would consider handing over. The report also suggested that Hamas was prepared to submit a detailed list of hostages and agree to a two-phase release schedule. It came as a spokesman for the group, Taher al-Nunu, told a different Saudi channel, Asharq, that Hamas was prepared for a 'serious' prisoner exchange. Crucially, the Egyptian-mediated outline agreement appears to be based on active Israeli participation in talks, rather than one generated by third-parties. On Monday, the Tikvah Forum, a group of hostage families to the right of the main representative body, reported that Benjamin Netyanyhu had told the parents of hostage Eitan Mor that Israel was now aiming for the return of 10 living hostages, as an initial phase of a new deal. This appeared to be corroborated by Lebanese outlet Al-Mayadeen, which quoted a Hamas official. According to the report, the proposal demands that US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander be included among the 10, in exchange for a 45-day ceasefire. During this time, aid would be allowed into Gaza and Israeli troops would withdraw to their positions as of March 18. Mr Alexander, a 21-year-old IDF soldier who grew up in New Jersey, has been a key focus for the Trump administration. The administration is said to have assured Hamas that it would pressure Israel to end the war upon the return of the hostages. Aid would reportedly be allowed back into Gaza as part of a new deal, and Palestinian prisoners would be released, although Israel was said to be pushing for a smaller ratio of hostages to stopped releasing hostages under the previous deal after Mr Netanyahu's government refused to engage seriously in so-called phase two negotiations. In outline, the phase envisaged a complete withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza and an end to the war, in return for the remaining said it could not agree to a situation which left Hamas intact in Gaza and risked another atrocity like the massacre of October resuming hostilities, Israeli ministers have said that putting Hamas under military pressure, plus taking significant chunks of territory, was the best chance of getting them to agree to further releases. Both the Tikvah Forum and the more mainstream Hostages and Missing Families Forum have sounded alarm at the prospect of a new two-stage release deal. Both want to see all the living hostages released simultaneously as part of a comprehensive deal to end the war. The current proposal would waste 'precious time' and, said a spokesman for the later group. 'While families wait and hope for the release of each and every hostage from Hamas captivity, the reality is that partial releases are a dangerous concept,' the forum said in a statement. 'Government officials continue to speak of increasing military pressure to free all the hostages, yet in practice negotiations are stuck, hostages' lives are at risk, and fallen soldiers' bodies are disappearing.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Hamas prepared for ‘serious' hostage release
Hamas has said it is prepared for a 'serious' hostage release following US pressure to accept a new Israeli proposal. It is understood that both sides have softened their positions, putting them on course for a potential deal to release approximately nine or 10 hostages in return for a new ceasefire in Gaza. The apparent movement in negotiations in the last 24 hours follows weeks of deadlock since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18. The operation has killed more than 1,500, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and prompted despair among the families of the remaining 59 hostages, of whom 24 are thought to be alive. Israel has seized significant territory in Gaza during that time, carving military corridors deep into the enclave, expanding its buffer zones and absorbing the entire southern city of Rafah into the no-go area. Recent discussions are believed to have stalled over the number of hostages to be released as part of a new deal. Israel reportedly demanded at least 11, in return for a ceasefire and other concessions, whereas Hamas were said to have offered only five. Late on Sunday, the Saudi news outlet al-Arabiya reported unnamed sources as saying there was 'initial agreement' from the terror group to increase the number of living hostages it would consider handing over. The report also suggested that Hamas was prepared to submit a detailed list of hostages and agree to a two-phase release schedule. Phase two negotiations It came as a spokesman for the group, Taher al-Nunu, told a different Saudi channel, Asharq, that Hamas was prepared for a 'serious' prisoner exchange. Crucially, the Egyptian-mediated outline agreement appears to be based on active Israeli participation in talks, rather than one generated by third-parties. On Monday, the Tikvah Forum, a group of hostage families to the right of the main representative body, reported that Benjamin Netyanyhu had told the parents of hostage Eitan Mor that Israel was now aiming for the return of 10 living hostages, as an initial phase of a new deal. This appeared to be corroborated by Lebanese outlet Al-Mayadeen, which quoted a Hamas official. According to the report, the proposal demands that US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander be included among the 10, in exchange for a 45-day ceasefire. During this time, aid would be allowed into Gaza and Israeli troops would withdraw to their positions as of March 18. Mr Alexander, a 21-year-old IDF soldier who grew up in New Jersey, has been a key focus for the Trump administration. The administration is said to have assured Hamas that it would pressure Israel to end the war upon the return of the hostages. Aid would reportedly be allowed back into Gaza as part of a new deal, and Palestinian prisoners would be released, although Israel was said to be pushing for a smaller ratio of hostages to prisoners. Hamas stopped releasing hostages under the previous deal after Mr Netanyahu's government refused to engage seriously in so-called phase two negotiations. 'Partial release a dangerous concept' In outline, the phase envisaged a complete withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza and an end to the war, in return for the remaining hostages. Israel said it could not agree to a situation which left Hamas intact in Gaza and risked another atrocity like the massacre of October 7. Since resuming hostilities, Israeli ministers have said that putting Hamas under military pressure, plus taking significant chunks of territory, was the best chance of getting them to agree to further releases. Both the Tikvah Forum and the more mainstream Hostages and Missing Families Forum have sounded alarm at the prospect of a new two-stage release deal. Both want to see all the living hostages released simultaneously as part of a comprehensive deal to end the war. The current proposal would waste 'precious time' and, said a spokesman for the later group. 'While families wait and hope for the release of each and every hostage from Hamas captivity, the reality is that partial releases are a dangerous concept,' the forum said in a statement. 'Government officials continue to speak of increasing military pressure to free all the hostages, yet in practice negotiations are stuck, hostages' lives are at risk, and fallen soldiers' bodies are disappearing.'
