Reuters reports that Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad have rejected an Egyptian proposal that they relinquish power in the Gaza Strip in return for a permanent ceasefire
According to the report, the organizations have outright rejected the proposal, as well as any other concessions beyond the release of hostages from the October 7th massacre. The message was passed to Israel via Egyptian mediators, who have been hosting senior figures in the organizations for several days.
Earlier, the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported that an Egyptian state plan discussed with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Cairo would bring a humanitarian ceasefire for 2 weeks, with the option to renew it at the end of that period.
During that time, Hamas would release four hostages, including women, children, elderly people, and the sick, in return for 120 security prisoners held by Israel that meet the same criteria. Israel will end the fighting, remove its tanks, and allow humanitarian aid, medicine, and fuel to be brought into the Gaza Strip.
In the second phase, a national-level discussion among the Palestinians will take place under Egyptian moderation in an attempt to end the internal divisions among the Palestinian people and create a technocratic government that will manage the rehabilitation of Gaza and prepare for parliamentary elections.
In the third phase, a general ceasefire will be declared and a prisoner exchange arranged that will include the release of all Israeli soldiers held by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist organizations, in exchange for the release of security prisoners serving long prison sentences and Palestinians arrested after October 7th.
In the fourth phase, Israel will completely withdraw from all cities in Gaza and allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes.
Al-Arabi al-Jadeed reports that the Egyptians are attempting to find a suitable replacement for Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas as a future leader of the Palestinian Authority.
Egypt proposed elections while offering assurances to Hamas that its members would not be chased or prosecuted. Still, the Islamist group rejected any concessions other than hostage releases, the sources said. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza.