Seven-year Gaza ceasefire proposal emerges

A new ceasefire proposal for Gaza, presented by Egypt and Qatar, envisions Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza and the official end of the war. Hamas has indicated its readiness to hand over control.

According to a BBC report, citing a senior Palestinian official, Egypt and Qatar, who are mediating between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, have put forward a new proposal that includes a long-term ceasefire and Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza.

The report states that the proposal encompasses a ceasefire lasting five to seven years, the official termination of the war, the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, and “the exchange of all Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.”

According to the Palestinian official, Hamas has expressed willingness to transfer the administration of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority or a newly established Palestinian entity. The official described Hamas as showing “unprecedented flexibility.”

The British broadcaster reported that Israel has not yet commented on this plan and that a high-level Hamas delegation will travel to Cairo for consultations. The report indicates that the delegation will include the head of the Hamas Leadership Council, Mohammed Darwish, and the organization’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya.

The Qatar-based Al-Araby Al-Jadeed also reported that an Israeli delegation traveled to Cairo on Sunday evening to discuss the new proposal presented by the mediators.

Last week, Hamas rejected an Israeli ceasefire offer that had been conveyed to them but stated that they were open to discussing proposals that included an end to the war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also declared over the weekend that he would not end the war until Hamas is destroyed and all hostages are returned.