Egypt says working to revive plans for 60-day ceasefire in Gaza

Egypt says it is working with fellow mediators Qatar and the United States to broker a 60-day ceasefire and hostage release deal as part of a renewed push to end the Israel-Hamas war.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States have played a key role in mediating talks between Israel and Hamas since the Palestinian terror group’s October 7, 2023, attack triggered the ongoing war.

“We are working very hard now in full cooperation with the Qataris and Americans,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty tells reporters during a press conference in Cairo.

“The main objective is to go back to the original proposal — to have a ceasefire for 60 days, with the release of some hostages and some Palestinian detainees, and the flow of humanitarian and medical assistance to Gaza without restrictions, without conditions.”

“We are talking with Hamas, with the Israelis and pushing for a deal” based on a recent US plan, Abdelatty says.

A Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations earlier told AFP that “mediators are working to formulate a new comprehensive ceasefire agreement proposal” that would include the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza “in one batch.”

Last month, more than two weeks of negotiations in Doha failed to secure a breakthrough in talks for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, after Israel and the US pulled their delegations following what they said were unacceptable demands from Hamas.

A senior Hamas delegation is expected in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials, two Palestinian sources told AFP earlier today.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.