Egypt says Hamas views US hostage deal 'positively', awaits Israeli response

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Monday said that Hamas views US offer for a hostage deal “positively” and that they were awaiting the Israeli response to the proposal.

According to a Times of Israel report, Shoukry is in Spain for talks on the Gaza border and on Madrid’s recognition of a Palestinian state.

Shoukry also said that Egypt rejects any Israeli presence at the Rafah Border Crossing.

“It is difficult for the Rafah crossing to continue operating without a Palestinian administration,” Times of Israel quoted him as saying.

On Friday, US President Joe Biden laid out a proposal for a deal that he said was the latest Israeli offer.

He detailed a three-phase deal proposed by Israel to Hamas militants that he says would lead to the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza and could end the grinding, nearly 8-month-old Mideast war.

Biden said the first phase of the proposed deal would would last for six weeks and would include a “full and complete cease-fire,” a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all densely populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

American hostages would be released at this stage, and remains of hostages who have been killed would be returned to their families. Humanitarian assistance would surge during the first phase, with 600 trucks being allowed into Gaza each day.

The second phase would include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza.

The third phase calls for the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which faces decades of rebuilding from devastation caused by the war.

The over four-page Israeli proposal was transmitted to Hamas on Thursday.

With inputs from agencies