Netanyahu rejects Egypt’s cease-fire proposal amid Israel’s war on Palestine

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has turned down a proposal from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sissi for a short-term cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

The proposal, announced by Sissi during a joint press conference with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Cairo, suggested a two-day cease-fire to facilitate the exchange of four Israeli hostages for several Palestinian prisoners. After this, negotiations would take place over 10 days to establish a permanent truce.

Despite significant support from many Israeli ministers and backing from Israel’s security establishment for the initiative, Netanyahu remained opposed, asserting that “negotiations will take place only under fire,” as reported by Israel’s Channel 12.

The Israeli government estimates that approximately 101 of its citizens are currently held captive by Hamas. There are growing concerns regarding the fate of these hostages, particularly amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, which have led to significant casualties.

Efforts led by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to secure a cease-fire and facilitate a prisoner swap have stalled, largely due to Netanyahu’s refusal to consider an end to hostilities. Since the onset of the conflict following Hamas’s cross-border incursion last October, the Israeli military has sustained a relentless offensive in Gaza, in defiance of a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

According to local health authorities, the conflict has resulted in nearly 43,000 deaths, predominantly among women and children, with over 100,000 individuals injured. The ongoing military actions have led to widespread displacement within the territory, exacerbated by a blockade that has triggered acute shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies.