Egypt receives Hamas' response to proposed Gaza ceasefire framework

Egypt has received Hamas' response to a Gaza ceasefire proposal nailed during a recent meeting in France, Chairman of Egypt's State Information Service (SIS) Diaa Rashwan has said.

Egypt will continue to exert its utmost efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza Strip soon, he said in a statement on Tuesday, 6 January.

He stressed that Egypt will discuss all the details of the proposed framework with the concerned parties as soon as possible, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rashwan stated that Egypt had recently put forward a framework aimed at bringing viewpoints closer between all concerned parties to stop Palestinian bloodshed, reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and restore peace and stability to the region.

Accordingly, he said, Palestinian prisoners and Israeli detainees will be exchanged in stages, and humanitarian support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip will be intensified.

Rashwan stressed that Egypt will continue its intense efforts around the clock, to end the fighting in Gaza, and preserve the lives of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights, and turning the proposal into an agreement is an essential first step toward such ends.

Earlier in the day, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said his country received a "positive response" from Hamas on the latest Gaza ceasefire-for-hostage deal proposal.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Regarding Hamas' response, the Qatari prime minister did not provide further details. Blinken also confirmed that officials had received Hamas' response and he would discuss it with Israeli leaders during his visit to Israel on Wednesday.