Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, said on Sunday that Cairo is actively pursuing a plan to establish a ceasefire in Gaza, floating the idea of a 60-day pause in fighting as a foundation for a more comprehensive resolution to the ongoing war.
Speaking during an interview on Egyptian television, Abdelatty cautioned, “If Israel resumes its aggression in Gaza after an agreement is reached, this will be the main source of instability in the region.”
He charged that Israel had breached the terms of the January 19 ceasefire agreement, suggesting the recent resurgence in hostilities lacked justification. Abdelatty added that Washington appears to accept the idea that any future deal must come with binding assurances to preserve a truce.
From the Hamas camp, senior member Mahmoud Mardawi said there has been no notable headway in indirect talks with Israel. He laid blame on Israel, citing its “insistence on continuing its aggression” as the major impediment to progress.
Mardawi reiterated that Hamas has laid out specific conditions for a ceasefire, which include the full cessation of Israeli military operations and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza.
He also criticized Israel’s position, saying the demands being made are a direct challenge to Palestinian self-determination, particularly calls for disarming resistance groups. Mardawi underscored that Palestinian armed factions view their weapons as essential to the struggle to “end the occupation” and stated unequivocally that this issue is non-negotiable.
{Matzav.com}