Egypt presents a long-term ceasefire option

The Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire calls for an end to Israel’s air strikes and a reduction of the buffer zone along the Gaza border.

The discussion of things the biggest points of contention, such as Israel’s call to demilitarize the Strip and Hamas’ call to remove the Gazan blockade, would be postponed to a later date, according to the plan.

The full plan has not been released and there has not yet been official comments from either the Israeli or Palestinian delegations.

The 72-hour ceasefire that started earlier this week is holding, however it is due to end at 7am Thursday morning (Australian time).

Finance Minister Yair Lapid, a member of the eight-person security cabinet, said the gaps between Israel and Hamas holding indirect talks in Cairo were “wide.”

“It is possible that the fighting will begin again,” he said in a Channel 2 interview on Israeli television.

“But it will not be the same fighting, because we will hit them much harder.”

JPOST.COM