“It’s time for this war to end.” In a speech at the White House, US President Joe Biden has repeatedly urged Hamas to “seize the opportunity” of the latest proposal on the table on truces and hostages, Israel’s “three-phase” plan to end the conflict in Gaza. On the other hand, Biden reiterated, “Hamas is no longer capable of carrying out another 7 October”, while the USA – he guarantees – is “committed to a lasting end to the war”.
Israel has reportedly made a “broad new” ceasefire agreement offer to Hamas, Biden said. The agreement consists of three phases and involves the “return home of all the hostages, ensures Israel’s security, creates a better future in Gaza without Hamas in power and lays the foundation for a political solution that guarantees a better future to both the Israelis and the Palestinians,” Biden said. “Israel – the American leader explained – has now offered a new complete proposal. It is a roadmap towards a lasting ceasefire and towards the release of all the hostages. This proposal was forwarded from Qatar to Hamas“.
The three phases of the plan for Gaza
“This new proposal involves three phases: The first phase would last six weeks. It would include a total and complete ceasefire, the 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,” Biden said, underlining that 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 some extent a containment of 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 six-week phase, Israel and Hamas” they will negotiate the agreements necessary to get to 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 are finalized, phase two can begin, which will see the release of all living Israeli hostages, 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 continued, citing the text of the agreement. “Finally, in the third phase, a major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin and the remains of the last killed hostages will be returned to their families,” Biden said, concluding: “That’s the offer we have on the table.”
Hamas “positive” on Biden’s words
Hamas “positively evaluates” the contents of Biden’s speech “which calls for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation from the Gaza Strip”, say the Palestinian militiamen in a statement quoted by ‘Al Jazeera’. The Palestinian group reiterates “its position of willingness to positively and constructively address any proposal based on a permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction, the return of displaced persons to all their places of residence and the completion of a serious prisoner exchange agreement if the occupation declares its explicit commitment to this.”
Blinken: “It is possible to end the war”
“We have the opportunity to end the war in Gaza, bring the hostages home and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people with the ceasefire agreement that is on the table. Today I spoke with several of my counterparts in the region to highlight that Hamas should accept the agreement”, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who had telephone conversations with the ministers of Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, wrote on X.
Von der Leyen: “Realistic approach, everyone’s support is needed”
On the European front, the president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, commented on the US president’s speech: “I fully agree with the president of the United States, Joe Biden, on the fact that the latest proposal represents a significant opportunity to end the war and the suffering of civilians in Gaza. This three-step approach is balanced and realistic. It now needs the support of all parties,” he writes in a post on ‘X’.
Macron: “We support the USA”
“The war in Gaza must end. We support the United States’ proposed comprehensive agreement. Just as we work with our partners in the region for peace and security for all.” So on X the French president Emmanuel Macron, underlining the commitment to “the release of the hostages, a lasting ceasefire to work for peace and advance the two-state solution”.
