Egypt, Palestine FMs discuss efforts to revive ceasefire in Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen English
11 Apr 2025 15:17

On the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Badr Albdelatty and Mohammad Mustafa discussed the ceasefire in Gaza, the Strip's reconstruction, and the Israeli offensive on the West Bank.

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Palestinians mourn over the bodies of their relatives who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Shujaiya neighborhood in Gaza City on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (AP)

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed the latest developments and Cairo's efforts to revive the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as well as ongoing negotiations to initiate its second phase, during a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart, Mohammad Mustafa.

According to Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tamim Khallaf, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s firm rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians, emphasizing the importance of preserving their inalienable rights.

He also stressed the need to work toward creating the necessary political sphere for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with the Eastern part of al-Quds as its capital.

The meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, also addressed the latest regional developments, ongoing efforts to support the Arab-Islamic plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip in coordination with international stakeholders, and preparations for the reconstruction conference that Egypt will host in cooperation with the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations.

The two sides also discussed the situation in the West Bank in light of the relentless Israeli raids on Palestinian cities and refugee camps.

Moreover, a senior delegation from the Hamas movement is scheduled to head to Cairo tomorrow, Saturday, a senior Palestinian official told Al Mayadeen.

The Palestinian group's delegation will discuss the latest developments in the ceasefire negotiations with Egyptian officials, the source said, on Friday.

According to the senior official, new proposals have been put forward in an effort to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

What does the deal entail?

The deal revolves around the release of eight living captives from the Gaza Strip in exchange for a truce that lasts between 40 and 70 days. Captives would be released in stages; however, Israeli media outlets said that neither the Palestinian Resistance led by Hamas nor the Israeli government had issued their final response to the deal.

In detail, the proposal includes guarantees for a permanent ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip.

Among the eight captives to be released is Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander, whom Hamas had previously offered to release. Moreover, the deal would also allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes and allow the entry of humanitarian aid.

According to reports, the Egyptian deal also guarantees that negotiations begin for a second phase of the agreement.

More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli military renewed its aggression on the enclave, taking the overall death toll since the start of the war to more than 50,000.