Egypt Proposes 2-Day Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has suggested a two-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, aiming for the release of four hostages held in Gaza. The proposal, announced Sunday, also includes the potential release of some Palestinian prisoners and the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza. El-Sissi expressed hopes to "move the situation forward" with further negotiations that would be aimed at establishing a permanent ceasefire.

Israel and Hamas have yet to respond to the proposal, the first such plan suggested by el-Sissi. Israel's Mossad chief also traveled to Doha Sunday for talks with Qatari officials and the CIA in hopes of negotiating an end to the violence stemming back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas, backed by Iran, launched a surprise attack on southern Israel. Tensions have heightened with Israel now engaged in conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon and having recently struck Iranian sites, a move criticized but not directly responded to by Iran. There has not been a ceasefire since the weeklong pause in the war's early weeks. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)