Destroyed buildings are pictured in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan on March 1, 2025. AFP
The sources revealed that the Egyptian compromise proposed the release of three living and three deceased Israeli captives during the extended period.
They also stated that an Israeli delegation would arrive in Cairo in the coming hours to discuss Egypt's proposed compromise and prepare “a complete vision” before a planned visit by Witkoff to the region this week.
Cairo expects Hamas to accept its proposal, the sources informed Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
However, as a mediator, Egypt relies on the US to pressure PM Netanyahu to uphold the ceasefire, especially since the US hopes to avoid resuming the war, noted the sources.
The sources also said that the Egyptian mediators reiterated Cairo’s commitment to a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt.
On Sunday, Israel renewed its deadly blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in a bid to pressure Hamas to accept the proposal advanced by US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a 42-day extension of the first phase of the ceasefire deal.
On Sunday, PM Netanyahu's office stated that Witkoff’s proposal suggests a temporary truce during Ramadan, ending in late March, and the Jewish Passover holiday on 20 April.
The statement added that he presented the proposal after concluding that the positions of Hamas and Israel could not be immediately reconciled and that more time was needed for talks on a permanent ceasefire.
The second phase of the ceasefire deal stipulates that Hamas release dozens of remaining captives in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from the strip and a lasting ceasefire.
However, Israel refused to start talks on the second phase at the end of the first phase as agreed upon in the deal.
Israel and Witkoff want Hamas to release half of all remaining Israeli captives during the extension but without giving any guarantees that Te Aviv would not resume its genocidal war or withdraw from the strip.
Following Israel’s announcement of a renewed blockade, Hamas released a statement accusing the Israeli occupation of evading its obligations to the ceasefire agreement, deeming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to halt aid to Gaza “cheap extortion and a war crime.”
Phase 1
The 42-day first phase stipulated that Israel cease most bombing of the strip, allow the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from its jails.
In return, Hamas would release more than two dozen captives and the bodies of captives killed by Israeli bombardment.
The deal also stipulated that both parties would begin talks on issues related to ending the war and the full Israeli withdrawal from the stip at the end of the first phase.
The Israeli side violated the agreement on multiple fronts, with intermittent deadly bombardments, delaying the release of the seventh batch of Palestinian prisoners last week, and refusing to start talks on arrangements for ending the war and withdrawal.
The first phase expired on Saturday, with 33 Israeli captives repatriated, including eight bodies, in exchange for the freedom of 1,755 Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli reports suggest that around 58 captives are still being held by Hamas, 34 of which are believed to be dead.
Egypt is hosting an emergency Arab Summit to present a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip in Cairo on Tuesday
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