Gaza ceasefire proposal only viable way to stop bloodshed, release captives: Egypt

CAIRO – 29 August 2025: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty slammed Israel’s “unjustified and unacceptable” disregard to a recent ceasefire and captive-prisoner swap proposal put forward by the Arab mediators to end the war in Gaza.

He stated that the proposed deal, which is fundamentally based on a proposal presented earlier by US special envoy Steve Witkov, is the only viable way to stop the war and release the captives held in Gaza.

The foreign minister stressed that there is “no valid excuse for Israel’s lack of response to this international effort,” emphasizing ongoing contacts with the US and Israel to endorse the proposal.

“Communications are ongoing with both the Israeli and American sides in an attempt to convince them that there is no viable alternative to halting the bloodshed in Palestine and securing the release of hostages, except through the implementation of this deal.”

He added that while the proposal calls for a ceasefire lasting only 60 days, it also includes efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement to end the ongoing aggression and lay the foundation for the day after.

Abdelatty affirmed that Egypt alongside all parties, including the European Union, the US, Japan, Russian, and China, will continue to apply pressure until this deal is accepted.

Last week, Hamas announced accepting a ceasefire proposal presented by Egypt and Qatar for a 60-day truce and the release of half of around 50 captives still held in Gaza, including about 20 living ones.

Meanwhile, Israel has not officially responded to the proposal. Meanwhile, it launched a globally-condemned plan to seize Gaza City and displace its nearly million residents, further deepening the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said this week that Israel has yet to issue an official response to the mediators although the proposal “largely aligns with Israel’s earlier demands.”

He stated that “the ball is now in Israel’s court,” accused the Israeli side of being “unwilling to reach an agreement.”

Since the start of the war in Gaza, Israeli forces have killed nearly 63,000 in Gaza, with 159,266 people injured, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

As a UN-backed report confirmed famine in Gaza, the ministry has so far reported 317 deaths due to starvation and malnutrition, including 121 children.

Egypt and Qatar have intensified their efforts to bring the war to an end.

They, along with the US, have facilitated two previous ceasefires between Hamas and Israel during the war.

The latest ceasefire, brokered in January, had facilitated the release of dozens of captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, before it was shattered by Israel two months later, when it killed around 400 Palestinians on 18 March.