CAIRO: Egypt confirmed on Thursday that it had put forward a framework proposal to resolve the Gaza crisis that includes three stages ending with a ceasefire, and said it was awaiting responses on the plan.

Egypt would give further details of the plan once those responses are rece­ived, Diaa Rashwan, head of the country’s information service, said in a statement.

The proposal is an attempt “to bring viewpoints between all concerned parties closer, in an effort to stop Palestinian bloodshed and the aggression against the Gaza Strip and restore peace and stability to the region”, he said.

Egyptian security sources had previously said the proposal included a multi-stage ceasefire involving prisoner releases by Israel and Hamas. One Egyptian source said the idea of a post-conflict Gaza administration was also raised.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2023