Egypt is advancing a new ceasefire initiative in Gaza, according to a report published by the Qatari newspaper Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed. The proposal reportedly includes an immediate halt to hostilities, followed by Hamas providing photo evidence and information on Israeli hostages, with further negotiations aimed at securing their release. In return, the plan calls for a phased withdrawal of the IDF from parts of the Gaza Strip.
This development comes amid intense military pressure on Hamas, whose leadership has been decimated by precision Israeli strikes, and whose control over Gaza continues to erode. The proposal is widely viewed as an attempt to rescue Hamas from total collapse under Israel’s ongoing Iron Swords War.
Hamas Seeks Breathing Room
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Hamas has indicated willingness to provide “partial information” on hostages—namely photographs or medical data—but only as a bargaining chip to delay further IDF advances.
This tactic is nothing new. For months, Hamas has used the hostages as human shields and political leverage, refusing to release them unconditionally or provide proof of life, while international mediators pressure Israel to back down.
No Ceasefire Without Hostage Release and Hamas’ Demise
Israel has made its position clear: there will be no permanent ceasefire until all hostages are returned and Hamas is fully dismantled as a military and governing force in Gaza.
The Israeli government views Hamas’ participation in any agreement as meaningless without full transparency and unconditional surrender of hostages. Egypt’s proposal, while well-intentioned, may only serve to prolong Hamas’ existence unless it includes verifiable, irreversible steps toward disarmament and the release of all 59 remaining hostages.
Israel is also unlikely to accept any demand for IDF withdrawal while top Hamas leaders remain alive and operational.
As pressure from international actors, including Egypt and Qatar, mounts, Israel faces a familiar dilemma: uphold military momentum or appease foreign demands for “restraint.” Yet, the events of October 7 and the horrors inflicted by Hamas left no room for ambiguity.
Israel’s war is not only with Hamas, but with the entire Iran-backed axis of terror, which includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shiite militias in Syria and Iraq. Ceasefire proposals that ignore this broader context risk rewarding terrorism and undermining regional stability.
