Egyptian proposal: Israel to pullout of Rafah during 2-month ceasefire

While Israel proposes limited deal with Hamas, Egyptian mediators present plan allowing Israel to maintain military presence in most of Gaza Strip, while withdrawing from border city of Rafah.

By World Israel News Staff

Egyptian mediators have presented a new proposal for a hostage deal and Gaza ceasefire to Israel, allowing the IDF to maintain control of most of the Gaza Strip, Israeli media outlets reported Thursday.

While previous proposals were based on President Joe Biden’s three-phase framework, which would mandate Israel agreeing to an end to the war and a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the new Egyptian plan would only require a 60-day ceasefire, during which Israel would withdraw from the Rafah area near the Sinai frontier.

According to a report by Yedioth Aharanoth, which cited a senior Egyptian official, the new plan would gradually impose a truce in Gaza.

After one week, Israeli hostages would be released to Israel, in exchange for the freeing of hundreds of jailed Arab terrorists held in Israeli prisons.

The hostage releases would continue through the 60-day truce, while Israel would permit greater access to the northern Gaza Strip, allowing large numbers of residents to return to the area.

Under the proposal, the Rafah crossing – a key strategic position on the Gaza-Egypt border and a hotbed of Hamas arms smuggling prior to October 7th – would be transfered from Israeli control to a joint committee established by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.

Earlier this week, Hamas and the PA inked a deal to establish a committee of 10-15 non-partisan technocrats to manage the entire Gaza Strip after the current war.

The committee is planned to be supervised by representatives from the U.S.

While the new proposal does not obligate Israel to accept a permanent end to the war, it would offer a framework for extending the truce and negotiating a full cessation of the fighting, the Egyptian official cited by Yedioth Aharanoth said.

The source expressed optimism Hamas will accept the plan, saying the terror group “is demonstrating a positive attitude.”

Israel has reportedly issued a proposal of its own, transmitting the plan to Hamas via Egyptian interlocutors.

The ceasefire would be limited to between 42 and 60 days, and would include the release of all female hostages, male hostages over 50, and critically ill captives.

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