Egypt sends new proposal to Israel, Hamas to resume ceasefire

Cairo: Egypt has presented a new proposal to Israel and Hamas aimed at restoring the Gaza ceasefire deal, two informed Egyptian security sources told Xinhua news agency on Monday.

“Egypt sent an urgent proposal on Sunday night to the warring sides for ending the war and resuming negotiations on the second stage of the preliminary ceasefire deal,” revealed the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

According to the new proposal, “Hamas will release five living Israeli hostages, including an Israeli-American soldier, in return for a ceasefire in the strip for 40 days to pave the way for talks on the second stage,” added the sources.

Hamas immediately agreed to Egypt’s new proposal, the sources noted, without specifying whether the Israeli side has delivered a response.

On Sunday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy called for the resumption of Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

Addressing a joint press conference after a meeting with the EU top diplomat in Cairo, Abdelatty said, “The only way to release all (Israeli) detainees is to return to the negotiating table and adhere to the ceasefire agreement,” rejecting the resumption of Israeli military operations against civilians in the Gaza Strip.

He also stressed the need to move quickly towards the second phase of the preliminary Gaza ceasefire agreement that took effect on January 19.

For her part, Kallas told reporters that the EU is very concerned about the loss of life in Gaza due to Israel’s resumption of hostilities.

“They (the Israelis) should resume negotiations and stop the killing there, and stop the bombing. Of course, the hostages have to be released as well,” she said.

“Our messages have to be clear: the humanitarian law has to be followed, peoples’ lives have to be saved, (and) humanitarian aid reach the people,” she added.

Israel resumed strikes in Gaza on March 18 after its ceasefire deal with Hamas that began on January 19 unraveled. Israeli forces subsequently launched ground operations across southern, northern, and central Gaza. The death toll from this new escalation has topped 730, the Gaza-based health authorities reported on Monday.

Meanwhile, an attack Monday in northern Israel killed a 75-year-old man and wounded another, first responders said, with police saying officers had “neutralised” the assailant.

Emergency services provider Magen David Adom said the attack at a junction southeast of the coastal city of Haifa involved “ramming, stabbing and shooting”.

It said a 75-year-old man was killed and a 20-year-old man left in critical condition, both the result of “penetrating wounds”, suggesting either shooting or stabbing.

The attack, which police said was carried out by a “terrorist”, was the first in Israel since it resumed bombardment of the Gaza Strip last week following a January truce in its war with Hamas.

A police statement said that “a terrorist opened fire at civilians and was immediately neutralised by police forces present at the scene”.

In a separate statement it said that officers who were on their way to a training session “closed in on the terrorist, returned fire and neutralised him”.

Israeli police label as “terror” attacks those connected to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Magen David Adom said the 75-year-old man’s death was pronounced at the scene.

A paramedic said in a statement that first responders treated the 20-year-old victim who “had been hit by a vehicle and suffered penetrating injuries in the attack”.