🔗 Share this article

Egypt and Qatar are actively pursuing efforts to persuade Hamas to agree to Donald Trump's proposal to stop the war in Gaza, as stated by the Egyptian top diplomat.

Mounting Diplomatic Pressure on the Group

Egypt's foreign minister stated that the opportunity is now for Hamas to surrender arms and avoid providing Israel any justification to persist in its offensive in the region, where two dozen Gazans were fatally struck on Friday.

“Let’s not give any excuse for one party to use Hamas as a pretext for this mad daily killings of civilians. What’s happening is far beyond the 7th of October,” the minister said.

He explained that Cairo is “coordinating with our brothers in Qatar and with our colleagues in Turkey in order to convince Hamas to respond positively to this plan”.

Details of the Trump Proposal

The plan would demand Hamas to:

• Disarm and withdraw from political activities
• Return the hostages still held from the October incident, including two dozen are presumed to be still alive

As part of the deal, Israeli authorities would:

• Pull back its military from Gaza
• Succeeded by an global peacekeeping unit
• Accept a temporary government led by the former president

Most analysts believe that the initiative would effectively terminate Hamas’s identity as an armed Palestinian resistance group, while the Israeli side would offer limited compromises.

Split Opinions within Hamas

The group is at odds over how to respond, with factions requesting more time to review the terms.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad has opposed the proposal, considering it a strategy to destroy Hamas whether or not they accept.

Insiders suggest that Hamas is likely to propose amendments regarding:

• Disarmament terms
• Remaining troops of military in Gaza
• Assurances that the Hamas leaders will not be pursued

Civilian Suffering Worsens

Israeli forces persisted in its offensive in Gaza City and bombardment across the wider strip on Friday, fatally striking 28 people.

Several of the those killed were in the northern city, while the rest were killed in southern Gaza, including three in an aerial attack in a southern area, which had been once declared a protected space.

The Israeli military issued its ultimate directive for Gaza City on Wednesday, with the top defense official declaring that those who stay would be labeled as militants, a label that defies international law.

Numerous of residents remain unable to leave in the urban area, including those who lack the means for the journey to the south, which allegedly requires over a thousand dollars.

“Numerous civilians are stranded on roadsides, awaiting shelter,” commented an aid official.

The UN said that there is no protected area for those escaping Gaza City, as areas labeled as protected spaces in the south are dangerous.

A UNICEF spokesperson described the concept of protected spaces as “absurd”, noting that explosives are dropped with “chilling predictability” and shelters serving as temporary shelters are regularly reduced to rubble.

Healthcare System under Extreme Pressure

Healthcare centers in southern Gaza are stretched to the limit, with the medical unit serving significantly beyond its normal limits.

On Thursday, one of the last functioning hospitals took in the remains of 27 individuals of people shot dead by the troops.

The head of paediatrics referred to the conditions as “very hard”.

Israel has been accused of attacking hospitals and medical workers, with a nurse reportedly “abducted” while traveling to work in the area.

Israel has often stated that detained healthcare workers had connections to the group, though offering no substantiation.

Fatalities from hostilities in Gaza has reached over 62,000 Gazans killed and nearly 170,000 wounded, per the medical sources.