Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has proposed a two-day truce in Gaza that would potentially pave the way for a long-term ceasefire.

El-Sisi’s proposal includes exchanging four Israeli captives held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

At a news conference in Cairo on Sunday, el-Sisi said the 48-hour lull in fighting and prisoner exchange would be followed by more talks in the next 10 days, with the hope that negotiators could hammer out a peace deal.

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

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far derailed multiple efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza. 

Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until the elimination of Hamas. But Israeli military officials have admitted that the premier’s goal will remain elusive. War minister Yoav Gallant has also described Netanyahu’s “total victory” dream over Hamas as “gibberish”.