Egypt proposes new plan to restore Gaza ceasefire

Nearly a week after Israel resumed airstrikes on Gaza, breaking its ceasefire with Hamas, Egypt has introduced a new proposal to revive the truce, according to the Associated Press.

The plan involves Hamas releasing five hostages — including one with American-Israeli citizenship — in exchange for a five-day ceasefire. Israel would also commit to allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza and agree to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Reports suggest Hamas has responded positively to the proposal.

Israel originally broke the ceasefire agreement, established on January 19th, by launching airstrikes targeting what it described as Hamas mid-level leadership. An Israeli military analyst, speaking to the newspaper Haaretz, claimed that Israel’s leadership broke the ceasefire because it sought to renegotiate the terms of the earlier truce.

The original deal included a provision to hold talks about a permanent end to the conflict 16 days into the ceasefire. However, Israel has since refused to engage in those talks, now demanding the full removal of Hamas from Gaza — a condition not part of the initial agreement.

Israel reportedly believed it had room to push for new terms under President Trump’s administration.

Last week, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, presented an alternative ceasefire proposal. This plan calls for more hostages to be released before any end-of-war negotiations begin. Israel has resumed military action, saying it aims to pressure Hamas into accepting these revised terms.