Egypt’s President Sisi proposed a two-day truce in Gaza, a limited hostage exchange, and further negotiations to seek a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Amid heavy fighting in Gaza, Lebanon, and recent Israeli airstrikes on Iran, tensions have escalated. The UN and international leaders call for restraint, and aid is urgently needed for Gaza’s civilians.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday proposed a two-day truce in Gaza, along with a limited hostage exchange aimed at achieving “a complete ceasefire” after more than a year of conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The proposal entails exchanging four Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. This would be followed by further negotiations within 10 days, according to Sisi, who spoke at a news conference in Cairo.

Sisi did not indicate whether the plan had been formally presented to either Israel or Hamas.

Sisi’s intervention comes as Israel continues its bombardment of the Palestinian territory, while also fighting a war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and having recently launched airstrikes against Iran, a major adversary.

The strikes on Saturday marked Israel's second retaliation against Iranian ballistic missile attacks and sparked global calls for restraint.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet on Monday at Iran’s request, with Tehran urging the body to condemn the strikes that killed four Iranian soldiers.

In Iran, leaders downplayed the significance of the strikes, claiming they had caused only limited damage.

President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed his cabinet, stating that Iran did not seek war but would respond “appropriately.”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned that Tehran had “received indications” hours before the Israeli attack. The US news outlet Axios reported that Israel had issued a warning to prevent a broader escalation.

In response, oil prices fell on Monday as traders were relieved that Israel’s strikes had avoided Iran’s energy infrastructure. Prices tumbled by as much as five percent before recovering some of their losses.

Israel launched the strikes in retaliation for an October 1 missile attack by Iran, which came as a response to the killings of Tehran-aligned militant leaders and an Iranian commander.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the operation as “precise and powerful, achieving all of its objectives.”

During a memorial event in Jerusalem for Hamas’s October 7 attack that triggered the war, Netanyahu’s speech was interrupted by shouts from relatives of victims, as the prime minister has faced increasing pressure to secure the release of captives held in Gaza.

For months, Egypt, alongside Qatar and the United States, has been mediating indirect negotiations, though with limited progress.

Israeli spy chief David Barnea was scheduled to visit Qatar on Sunday to discuss the resumption of talks on a potential hostage deal.

Following the recent killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, families of the hostages have urged the Israeli government to reach an agreement.

One major barrier to progress has been Hamas’s demand for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a condition Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant acknowledged that “painful concessions” would be necessary in negotiations, as military actions alone would not fulfill Israel’s strategic objectives.

Of the 251 hostages captured by Palestinian militants during the October 7 assault, 97 remain held in Gaza, including 34 whom the Israeli military believes are deceased.

Over 100 hostages were released during a one-week truce in November of last year.

Meanwhile, amid the tense situation, a truck crashed into a crowd near a central Israeli intelligence complex, resulting in the death of one man and injuries to more than two dozen people.

Israel has continued its operations in Gaza and Lebanon, where strikes targeted Beirut and multiple southern cities.

According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, at least 21 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Sunday, including nine near the city of Sidon and seven in the southern village of Ain Baal, three of whom were rescuers.

The war has claimed at least 1,615 lives in Lebanon since September 23, based on AFP’s tally of official figures, though the actual count is likely higher due to data gaps.

The Israeli military reported early Sunday that it had killed 70 Hezbollah fighters while losing five soldiers, bringing the Israeli military death toll to 37 since the onset of ground operations in Lebanon late last month.

Heavy bombardment also continued in Gaza, where the Israeli military claimed it had killed an additional 40 militants.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern over the humanitarian situation facing civilians in northern Gaza, who are enduring severe hardship under the Israeli operation.

“The plight of Palestinian civilians trapped in north Gaza is unbearable,” stated Guterres’s spokesperson.

On the ground, resident Bilal al-Hajri described the dire situation, stating that people are “dying under a tight siege and famine.”

“No one can leave home, not even to get food and water,” said the 25-year-old in an interview with AFP. “Anyone who steps outside is targeted.”

During his speech in Cairo, Sisi underscored the urgency of allowing aid into the region, warning of famine and stating that it was “very important that aid enters as soon as possible.”

As the comprehensive assault continues, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported on Sunday that an Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians had killed at least nine individuals. The Israeli military indicated it was investigating the report.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza began a year ago following Hamas’s October 7 attack, which left 1,206 people dead, primarily civilians, according to official Israeli figures compiled by AFP, which includes captives killed in captivity.

Since the beginning of the Israeli operation in Gaza, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry reports that at least 42,924 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed. The United Nations considers these figures to be reliable.

The ongoing conflict has also drawn in Iran-backed groups across the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, along with militias in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.