GAZA, Dec 27 – Egypt held talks between Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad to try to reach a permanent ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands, devastated Hamas-controlled territory and displaced most of the 2.3 million Palestinian residents.
Here are the different offers that Egypt presents:
GIVE TO AUTHORITY
Egypt is proposing that Hamas and Islamic Jihad relinquish power in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, two Egyptian security sources said.
Representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad rejected such a proposal, Egyptian sources said. Officials from the two groups publicly denied what the sources said.
The leaders of the two factions have repeatedly insisted that the future of the post-Gaza war should be decided by the Palestinians themselves, not by foreign dictates.
Israel has demanded the destruction of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aides have said that this would lead to the dismantling of all their military and governance capabilities and the deradicalization of Gaza’s population. It was not immediately clear whether the proposed removal of the militants from power would meet those demands.
STAGES OF CESSATION OF THE FIRE
Egypt is proposing a multi-stage ceasefire, with an initial temporary ceasefire of one or two weeks, two Egyptian security sources said.
The temporary ceasefire may be extended.
During the first 10 days of the humanitarian truce, Hamas will release all women, children and the elderly held captive, according to Palestinian officials, who said it was a three-phase ceasefire.
In return, Israel would release an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners in the same categories, cease all hostilities, move tanks out of the settlement, and allow the delivery of medical and food aid, fuel and cooking gas.
It would also allow people to return to northern Gaza.
In the alternate phase, Hamas will release all Israeli womanish dogfaces. In return, Israel will release another group of imprisoned Palestinians.
The two sides will also exchange bodies, which are rejected from 7 October.
The third phase could last one month and would result in the release of all prisoners held by Hamas in exchange for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners.
Israel will withdraw its tanks from Gaza and both sides will cease all hostilities.
HAMAS REJECTS TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE
Egyptian sources said both Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which were holding separate talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo, would not stop fighting until Israeli “aggression” stopped.
Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, told reporters in Lebanon during a press conference when asked about the ceasefire initiatives presented by the movement:
“There are many ideas that are being presented, and we are dealing with those ideas on the basis that we want a complete end to aggression, not temporary gimmicks. We’re open to ideas that can lead to that,” Hamdan said.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad insist that the prisoner exchange deal must ensure the release of all Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. “All for all,” said a senior Islamic Jihad official.
Israel was open to a new limited ceasefire, but rejected demands by Palestinian militants to end the war and withdraw troops from Gaza.
FINAL PHASE
One Egyptian source said the idea of a post-war Gaza administration had been raised. Palestinian officials said the issue was not part or a condition of the ceasefire proposal.
Egypt facilitated talks to form a technocrat government that would deal with aid and reconstruction in Gaza and hold parliamentary elections.
The final phase of the proposal involves Israel withdrawing from Gaza and allowing displaced people to return.
