New Egyptian proposal attempts to revive hostage negotiations, calls for release of 8 hostages in renewed ceasefire

Shortly before the meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday evening, Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Egypt had submitted a new hostage-ceasefire proposal to Hamas. 

The new Egyptian proposal attempts to revive the defunct ceasefire which began in January, restoring calm to the Gaza Strip. 

An Egyptian source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Cairo submitted an amended proposal based on changes to previous proposals. The new Egyptian proposal calls for “the release of approximately eight living hostages from Gaza in exchange for a ceasefire lasting between 40 and 70 days.” 

The proposal reportedly calls for the release of the eight hostages in stages, not all at once. During that time, Israel would release Palestinian security prisoners, including some convicted for terror attacks, while also restoring the entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. 

The Egyptian source told Asharq Al-Awsat that "Cairo has tried to accommodate as many of the aspirations of each party as possible. Hamas wanted the release of only two hostages in exchange for the 50-day truce, while Israel wanted half the number of hostages.” 

Qatari news site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed (New Arab) reported that a delegation from Hamas was expected to arrive in Cairo for talks about a hostage-ceasefire deal. 

Hamas has apparently demanded guarantees of Israel's commitment to the ceasefire after the release of the hostages. It therefore requested a gradual release of the hostages, and the immediate entry of humanitarian aid, while also demanding the withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from recently conquered territory. 

An Egyptian source told Channel 12 news that both sides are reviewing the proposal, however, Israeli officials denied having received any new proposals. 

While Netanyahu was in Washington, DC, he met with special envoy Steve Witkoff. Despite high hopes in Israel for some announcement regarding the hostages, there were no new announcements following their meeting. 

The Tikvah Forum, a group which represents some of the hostage families that had previously been more favorable to military pressure on Hamas to secure the release of the remaining hostages, slammed the new proposal. 

“You do not have the right to sign a deal that does not include everyone,” the Forum said in a statement. “You do not have the right to make a selection among the hostages, you do not have the right to negotiate only for some of the hostages in Gaza.” 

Meanwhile, during a tripartite summit in Cairo on Sunday between the Egyptian and French presidents and the Jordanian king, the leaders stated that an "empowered Palestinian Authority" should assume sole responsibility for governing Gaza after the war, while also calling for an "immediate return" to the ceasefire. The leaders demanded “an end to all unilateral steps that harm the chances of achieving a two-state solution and increase tensions.” 

The three again rejected President Trump’s proposal for the voluntary evacuation of Gaza residents to other countries and the rebuilding of Gaza over a 15-20 year period, instead reaffirming support for the Arab proposal put forward by Egypt earlier this year. That proposal called for the rebuilding of Gaza within five years, with the Palestinian Authority taking over governance.