Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, a London-based pan-Arab news outlet owned by a Qatari company, reported on Monday, citing informed sources, that Egyptian officials have been engaged in intensive discussions in recent hours with their Israeli counterparts, the US administration, and Hamas leadership. The talks involved an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza as part of ongoing efforts to de-escalate the situation.
The sources added that high-level Egyptian-American discussions had recently taken place, during which Egypt expressed its willingness to negotiate with Hamas on the continued release of hostages, contingent upon clear US guarantees for any potential agreement.
In this context, an Egyptian source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that negotiations regarding the urgent ceasefire proposal are still ongoing. The source noted that Hamas has neither withdrawn from the talks nor expressed any refusal to respond to the proposals currently on the table.
The source stated: “There is an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza on the table of both parties, and broader engagement in the negotiations is expected, with delegations being sent to Cairo to expedite the achievement of an agreement.”
He explained that the latest Egyptian ceasefire proposal includes a commitment by Hamas to provide detailed information about living hostages, dead ones, and the wounded, along with photographic evidence to verify this information. The proposal also envisions an initial truce, where the ceasefire would be enacted immediately, followed by deeper negotiations to establish a timetable for the release of the remaining prisoners in exchange for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
This isn’t Gaza
This isn’t Tehran
This isn’t Damascus
This is Washington, DC in front of the White House tonight where protesters waved HAMAS flags and shouted Allahu Akbar during their mass prayer.
We are an occupied country. pic.twitter.com/FyVREb45Ex
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) March 19, 2025
ISRAEL NO LONGER PLAYING NICE
The Qatari paper also quoted Ambassador Mohamed Hegazy, former assistant to the Egyptian foreign minister, who complained that Israel’s “continued violent escalation in the Gaza Strip demonstrates a deliberate violation of international law and reflects a clear disregard for the commitments and agreements made, most recently the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.”
In other words, Defense Minister Israel Katz’s idea that the only way to get a positive response from Hamas regarding the hostages would be by applying brute military force to the Strip. In the end, it’s not cutting their electricity – the Gazans have photocell energy; it’s not cutting their food – they still have months’ worth of humanitarian supplies; and it’s not cutting their water – they have their own water. The one thing that works is killing as many of them as possible in a short span of time, make them feel like hunted animals. It’s not particularly nice, but Israel is well past wishing to have a nice army. Israelis today prefer their army lethal.
Ambassador Hegazy added that the proposed agreement was not a result of sudden decisions, but rather the outcome of intensive diplomatic efforts led by Egypt in partnership with Qatar and the United States, which spanned more than a year under the direct supervision of the US administration (make that two US administrations?).
However, he noted that Israel introduced unexpected changes in the final moments of the negotiations, undermining the agreements reached and sabotaging the first phase of implementation. He also pointed out that Israel’s forces continued their bombardment and neglected humanitarian obligations, including allowing the entry of aid and essential equipment to alleviate the suffering of civilians.
Music to Israeli ears, and it worked. Hamas got the message. They realized that in order not to die they must start releasing hostages again.
Here’s something else the other side is finally internalizing: Hegazy explained that the second phase of the ceasefire agreement was meant to be a decisive turning point, as it called for a complete IDF withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the start of the reconstruction process, and the establishment of a permanent truce. However, he noted that Israeli policies prevented this from occurring. He also emphasized that Egypt was aware from the outset that the situation went beyond the stated security objectives and was part of a broader plan to depopulate Gaza, “tied to a Zionist project with a religious dimension that also extended to the West Bank.”
We wish…
HAMAS PARADING IN GAZA EARLIER TODAY FOLLOWING THE CEASEFIRE ANNOUNCEMENT
NETANYAHU FAILED TO ELIMINATE THEM pic.twitter.com/kQpC91VgIk
— Khalissee (@Kahlissee) January 19, 2025
Hamas spokesman Jihad Taha confirmed in exclusive statements to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the terrorist organization is committed to implementing the terms of the ceasefire agreement and is demonstrating a high degree of flexibility and responsibility in its approach.
He stressed that “the best option at this stage is to continue discussions with the mediators to bring viewpoints closer together,” noting that Hamas has responded positively to the proposals presented by the mediators to advance the agreement.
Taha added that “Hamas, in fulfilling its national responsibilities toward the Palestinian people and out of its desire to stop the aggression and lift the siege, will continue to engage positively with the efforts being made, despite the mediators’ growing awareness that Israel is not meeting its obligations and is not respecting the agreements reached.”
Mission accomplished. Get ready for more hostage releases.
