“Everyone will have to do their part and we will do ours: this is truly a decisive moment.” The American president underlined this by illustrating the three-phase plan to put an end to the war between Israel and Hamas Joe Biden. “Israel has made its proposal, Hamas says it wants a ceasefire, this agreement is an opportunity to demonstrate that these are their true intentions.”
«Israel – Biden announced – has now offered a new complete proposal. It’s a roadmap to a ceasefire lasting and towards the release of all hostages. This proposal was forwarded from Qatar to Hamas,” Biden said. «This new proposal includes three phases: the first phase would last six weeks. It would include a total and complete ceasefirethe withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, the release of a certain number of hostages, including women, elderly and wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners», declared Biden, underlining that the American hostages will be among those released in this first phase.
Furthermore, the remains of some killed hostages will be returned to their families, bringing to a certain extent “containment to the terrible pain”. «Palestinian civilians will return to their homes in all areas of Gaza, including the north, and humanitarian aid will increase with 600 trucks bringing aid to Gaza every day. During the first phase, lasting six weeks, Israel and Hamas “will negotiate the agreements necessary to reach phase two, which is the permanent cessation of hostilities», Biden said.
The president then acknowledged that this further round of negotiations will be difficult and explains that the proposal on the table will allow the first phase to be extended beyond six weeks provided that negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue. The United States, Egypt and Qatar will work to ensure talks continue until an agreement is reached, Biden said. Once these terms have been defined, phase two can begin, which we will see the release of all Israeli hostages still alive, including male soldiers. During this phase, Israeli forces will also withdraw from Gaza, Biden said. «If Hamas keeps its commitments, the temporary ceasefire will become permanent», Biden said, citing the text of the agreement. “Finally, in the third phase, a major plan to rebuild Gaza will begin and the remains of the last hostages killed will be returned to their families,” Biden said. “This is the offer we have on the table.”
