Sharm Elshiekh – Egypt
Diplomatic efforts are accelerating in regional and international capitals to complete the truce plan for the Gaza Strip, led by the United States and Egypt, with the participation of Qatar and the United Nations. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the warring parties to achieve a tangible breakthrough on the political track before the end of this month.
Diplomatic sources confirmed to CJ Global that Washington is strongly pressuring the Israeli government to accept the first phase of the truce plan, which includes a comprehensive ceasefire for six weeks and the mutual release of prisoners and hostages, in exchange for the full opening of border crossings to humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, Egypt is continuing its field and political mediation efforts. Over the past two days, it has received security delegations from Tel Aviv, Gaza, and Doha in an attempt to bring together viewpoints on the details of implementing the agreement. An informed Egyptian source said, “The current phase is the most important since the outbreak of the war, as it focuses on implementation guarantees and international monitoring mechanisms.”
At the Arab level, the foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE expressed their full support for the Egyptian-American initiative, stressing that a ceasefire in Gaza is an “inevitable entry point” to relaunching the comprehensive peace process based on the two-state solution. The Arab Parliament also called for unified action at the United Nations to mobilize international support for reconstruction and an end to violations against civilians.
On the Israeli side, differences emerged within the ruling coalition between those who support engaging in negotiations and those who view them as a “dangerous security concession.” Hebrew media reported that the Minister of National Security expressed his strong opposition to any withdrawal without ensuring “the complete demilitarization of Gaza,” while the Chief of Staff considered that “a political solution is the only way out of the current impasse.”
In Gaza, Hamas welcomed the initiative “in principle,” but demanded a complete lifting of the blockade and the opening of all crossings, stating that “the ceasefire must be a prelude to a full withdrawal, not just a temporary truce.”
The US position appears decisive this time, as the White House warned that failure to reach an agreement would lead to a further deterioration in the humanitarian situation and could open the door to a new, difficult-to-contain escalation. The US State Department spokesperson emphasized that “the United States will not abandon its efforts to establish a genuine ceasefire that guarantees security and dignity for all parties.”
In Europe, the European Union called for the dispatch of an international monitoring mission to the border crossings, while France proposed holding a donor conference for the reconstruction of Gaza immediately after the ceasefire is established.
Observers believe that the coincidence of these moves with the fifty-second anniversary of the October War gives Egypt’s role special symbolism, as Cairo reclaims its historical position as a mediator in regional conflicts. While negotiations remain hostage to political tensions, a narrow window of hope remains open, with the hope that the coming days will bring a breakthrough that will restore calm to Gaza and put the region on the path to a broader settlement.
