Egypt Presents Bold Plan for Israeli-Hamas Ceasefire

Egypt has presented an initial proposal to end the Israel-Hamas war, according to a senior Egyptian official and a European diplomat. The proposal includes a cease-fire, a phased release of hostages, and the creation of a Palestinian government of experts to administer the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank. The proposal, which was worked out with Qatar, has been presented to Israel, Hamas, the United States, and European governments. However, it is still considered preliminary and falls short of Israel’s goal of completely crushing Hamas and maintaining military control over Gaza. Israeli airstrikes continue to heavily pound central and southern Gaza, resulting in a high death toll. The Israeli War Cabinet, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is set to meet to discuss the proposal.