Egypt offered Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad a ceasefire deal on Friday, according to Israeli media.
Israeli sources reportedly told Walla that the Egyptian offer is more in line with Israel’s standing than previous deals and that it is being considered.
Later that day, the Qatari television channel “Al-Arabi” reported that Egypt’s proposal referred to a temporary and humanitarian ceasefire starting at midnight, in which the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings would be opened to traffic – while at the same time, medical equipment would be brought into the Gaza Strip, Hebrew media reported.
An Islamic Jihad spokesman referred to the channel’s report and clarified that a ceasefire has not yet been reached.
Recent Egyptian efforts to negotiate a ceasefire
Egypt had sent a delegation to Israel on Thursday to continue to push for an end to Operation Shield and Arrow.
A view of a damaged building on the site of an Israeli airstrike amid Israel-Gaza fighting in Deir al-Balah town in the central Gaza Strip, May 12, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA)Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said his country’s “efforts in relation to the escalation in the Gaza Strip have not yet yielded the desired fruits and results. His Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, had said prior that a ceasefire proposal was sent by Egypt and was under consideration by the defense establishment.
However, efforts led by Egypt for a ceasefire eventually collapsed on Wednesday evening because the Islamic Jihad demanded that Israel promise to stop targeted assassinations of senior terrorists – to which Israel declined.
Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.
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