Palestinians looked over the destruction after two Israeli missiles struck a building at the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on April 13, 2025. The attack happened soon after patients had been moved out, following a warning from someone claiming to be with Israeli security forces. REUTERS
Egypt and Qatar shared a fresh Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza with Hamas, hoping to end months of fighting. The two countries, acting as mediators, are waiting for Hamas to respond. Egyptian media shared this update on Monday.
Hamas confirmed it received the proposal. In a statement, the group said it was reviewing the details and would reply as soon as possible. However, a senior Hamas leader, Sami Abu Zuhri, made it clear that some parts of the proposal go against their core demands.
Hamas wants a complete end to the war and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. These two points remain non-negotiable for the group.
Abu Zuhri also said that the new proposal includes something new from Israel. For the first time, it asks Hamas to give up its weapons in the later stages of the deal. He strongly rejected this idea, saying, “Handing over the resistance's weapons is a million red lines and is not subject to consideration, let alone discussion."
Israeli officials have not commented on the proposal yet.
Egypt’s top media official told local television that time is very important right now. He believes Hamas will respond soon.
Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza in March, ending a ceasefire that started in late January. Since then, heavy fighting has continued.
Fresh talks took place on Monday in Cairo to try to bring back the earlier truce and secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. But according to both Palestinian and Egyptian sources, no progress was made.
Hamas keeps repeating its condition: Israel must stop the war and pull all soldiers out of Gaza, just like the original three-phase ceasefire plan outlined in January.
Israel, on the other hand, says it will not stop the war unless Hamas is defeated and all hostages are released.
Abu Zuhri also added another key point. He said Hamas is willing to release all remaining hostages in one group. But this can only happen if Israel agrees to stop the war and withdraw its troops from Gaza.
Since March, Israeli attacks have killed more than 1,500 people in Gaza, according to local health officials. These strikes have also forced many people to flee their homes and created severe shortages in supplies, as a strict blockade remains in place.
At the moment, 59 Israeli hostages are still being held in Gaza. Officials believe 24 of them are still alive.
The situation remains tense, and the path to peace seems uncertain.
