The latest Egyptian ceasefire proposal included a demand for Hamas to disarm — a clause that reportedly took the terror group by surprise, a senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera on Monday.
“Egypt informed us there will be no ceasefire agreement without negotiations on disarmament,” the official said. Hamas flatly rejected the demand, telling Cairo that “the only gateway to an agreement is an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war, not the issue of weapons.”
The Qatari-based outlet reported that the Egyptian proposal also includes a phased release of hostages — with half to be freed in the first week of the agreement — and a 45-day temporary ceasefire in exchange for the entry of food and shelter supplies into Gaza.
Saudi-owned Asharq News reported earlier Monday that, following Hamas’ departure from Cairo, Israel is demanding that the new agreement preserve the presence of the IDF in buffer zones, including newly established positions. This, the report said, contradicts the terms of a framework reached in January, which called for an Israeli withdrawal from areas including the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border.
Sources cited by Asharq News claimed Egypt conveyed American assurances to Hamas that negotiations on a permanent ceasefire would be serious and credible. According to the sources, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed willingness to personally announce the ceasefire framework to demonstrate U.S. commitment to ending the war. Egypt reportedly emphasized to Hamas that the latest U.S. proposal presents a significant opportunity to move toward an end to hostilities.
Later in the day, London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq al-Awsat quoted Hamas sources saying the terrorist group informed mediators in Cairo that it does not oppose releasing Israeli soldier Edan Alexander — who also holds U.S. citizenship — as a goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration.
Hamas propaganda video featuring Israeli American hostage Edan Alexander
The sources said such a move would be made in return for a preliminary ceasefire of approximately 50 days, with a commitment to a second phase that would include a complete end to the war — an idea previously floated in past negotiations.
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The Hamas delegation reportedly told mediators that it had no objection in principle to the number of hostages being released, as long as such a release would guarantee the war’s end and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. A formal response has yet to be finalized.
“We discussed Israel’s response to Egypt’s ceasefire proposal,” the sources said, adding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government had demanded the release of 10 living hostages and a similar number of bodies, along with a ceasefire lasting 45 to 55 days and a commitment to demilitarize Hamas.
Earlier Monday, Egyptian and Palestinian sources told Reuters that the latest round of talks in Cairo ended without a breakthrough, despite Israeli claims that cracks had begun to emerge in Hamas’ position. The sources said Hamas remains adamant that any agreement must lead to a full end to the war.
Still, an Egyptian official told Reuters that Hamas was open to releasing additional living hostages, as demanded by Israel, but insisted on guarantees that Israel would agree to begin discussing the second phase of the cease-fire, which includes a permanent cessation of fighting. A separate Egyptian source told Qatari newspaper The New Arab that Hamas had agreed to release nine living hostages, in addition to Edan Alexander.