Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced on Tuesday that negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh are making “significant progress” toward ending the nearly two-year Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Cairo with Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, Abdelatty underscored Egypt’s “unwavering determination” to secure a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, putting an end to the repeated Israeli assaults that have devastated Gaza since October 2023.

“The discussions are focused on establishing a security mechanism to ensure the total withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and to prevent any renewed military aggression,” Abdelatty said. “Egypt will not support any arrangement that legitimizes occupation or displacement.”

The Egyptian Foreign Minister revealed that negotiators are also addressing the full and unconditional entry of humanitarian aid through UN-supervised channels, amid warnings from aid agencies that Gaza is on the verge of total collapse after months of siege and bombardment.

Abdelatty emphasized that Cairo is pushing for the creation of a “just peace process” grounded in international law, the two-state framework, and political unity between the West Bank and Gaza. “The empowerment of the Palestinian Authority within an independent, sovereign Palestinian state is vital for regional stability,” he said.

According to Abdelatty, the first phase of the indirect negotiations—mediated by Egypt, the United States, and Qatar—includes a reciprocal exchange of captives and prisoners: the release of Israeli detainees in Gaza in return for Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Egyptian sources confirmed that the Sharm el-Sheikh talks, which began on Monday, coincide with the second anniversary of the Gaza war. The framework under discussion reportedly involves a phased Israeli withdrawal, a ceasefire, and steps toward a long-term political resolution.

Abdelatty also announced that Egypt is preparing to host an international conference for Gaza’s reconstruction in coordination with Arab and European partners, reiterating Cairo’s view that reconstruction must go hand in hand with sovereignty and accountability for war crimes.

While acknowledging US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal as a “possible starting point” for talks, Abdelatty cautioned that no peace plan will be accepted if it undermines Palestinian rights or entrenches Israeli occupation.

“Egypt will continue to act as a guarantor of Palestinian rights and regional peace,” he said, reaffirming Cairo’s historical role as a defender of the Palestinian cause.

Palestinian negotiators, led by Hamas deputy chief Khalil al-Hayya, have reportedly expressed readiness to engage in a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, but have firmly rejected any arrangement that delays or weakens the full liberation of Gaza.

“The future of Gaza and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people cannot be separated,” a Hamas representative said. “We demand binding international guarantees to prevent Israel from violating future agreements, as it has done repeatedly.”

As Reuters reported, key challenges remain—especially regarding security oversight and post-war governance—but both Egyptian and Palestinian sides insist that justice and sovereignty, not temporary truces, must form the basis of any final deal.

The Sharm el-Sheikh negotiations mark the most serious diplomatic effort yet to halt Israel’s two-year-long campaign in Gaza, which has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.

Analysts note that Egypt’s leadership in these talks reflects growing Arab insistence on accountability and the restoration of full Palestinian sovereignty—a position gaining international traction as outrage mounts over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. (ILKHA)