In a significant geopolitical development, U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday articulated a comprehensive three-phase Israeli proposal aimed at establishing a ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages. Declaring, “It’s time for this war to end,” Biden’s proposal elicited a favorable initial reaction from Hamas, a key player in the ongoing conflict.
The proposed plan’s first phase is critical, encompassing a six-week ceasefire period during which Israeli forces would retreat from all populated areas of Gaza. In return, some of the hostages, including the elderly and women, would be released, facilitating an exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. During this period, Palestinian civilians would be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza, and the devastated enclave would see the influx of 600 trucks daily, delivering essential humanitarian aid.
“It is during this phase that both Hamas and Israel would sit down to negotiate a permanent ceasefire,” Biden stated, emphasizing that this ceasefire would endure as long as Hamas adheres to its commitments. Should these negotiations extend beyond the initial six-week timeframe, the temporary ceasefire would likewise extend, ensuring sustained peace efforts.
Progressing to the second phase, Biden detailed a comprehensive plan for the exchange of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers. Concurrently, Israeli forces would complete their withdrawal from Gaza, paving the way for the commencement of a permanent ceasefire.
The third and final phase of the proposal focuses on Gaza’s rehabilitation and the reunification of the remains of any remaining hostages with their families. “It’s time for this war to end and for the day after to begin,” Biden declared, expressing the urgent need for peace. As Biden faces election-year pressure to bring an end to the Gaza conflict, now dragging into its eighth month, the proposal aims to address both humanitarian and political challenges.
Notably, Hamas, through an intermediary, Qatar, received the proposal and responded positively. Hamas expressed readiness to engage “positively and in a constructive manner” with any proposal centering on a permanent ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces, the reconstruction of Gaza, the return of displaced persons, and a genuine prisoner swap deal, provided Israel clearly announces its commitment to such terms.
On the Israeli side, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed authorization for the negotiating team to present the deal. However, Netanyahu maintained a firm stance that the war would not conclude until all Israeli goals were achieved, including the return of all hostages and the dismantling of Hamas’ military and governmental structures.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military reported the conclusion of operations in north Gaza’s Jabalia area following days of severe fighting and announced continued efforts in the Rafah region in southern Gaza, targeting what they claim is the last major Hamas stronghold.
The conflict’s origins date back to October 7, when armed militants under Hamas’s command infiltrated southern Israel using motorcycles, paragliders, and four-wheel-drive vehicles, leading to the death of 1,200 people and the abduction of over 250, as per Israeli reports. Israel’s subsequent invasion of the Gaza Strip, led by Netanyahu, aimed at dismantling Hamas, which had seized control of the territory from the Fatah Palestinian faction in a violent power struggle in 2007.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and other parties have repeatedly faltered, with each side holding the other accountable for the stalemate.
In his address, President Biden urged Israeli leaders to resist the pressures from factions within Israel advocating for an indefinite continuation of the conflict.
. “They want to occupy Gaza. They want to keep fighting for years, and hostages are not a priority for them. Well, I’ve urged leadership in Israel to stand behind this deal, despite whatever pressure comes,” he voiced emphatically.
Biden’s plea to Israelis not to squander the opportunity for peace was heartfelt. “As the only American president who has ever visited Israel during wartime, and as someone who recently deployed U.S. forces to directly defend Israel following an attack by Iran, I ask you to step back and ponder what will happen if this moment is lost,” he said. “We can’t lose this moment.”
The ongoing Gaza war has placed Biden in a complicated political position. While he has been a staunch supporter of Israel and seeks continued support from the pro-Israel community in the U.S. ahead of his upcoming election rematch against former President Donald Trump, progressive elements within his Democratic Party have voiced growing anger over the conflict’s humanitarian toll on Gazan civilians. Palestinian health authorities estimate that over 36,280 people have died in Gaza due to Israeli actions, with the United Nations warning that more than a million individuals face catastrophic hunger levels as famine begins to take hold in parts of the enclave.
Demonstrating a U.S. effort to galvanize support for the proposal, the State Department noted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has engaged in discussions with his counterparts from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Emphasizing the critical nature of the ceasefire deal, Blinken conveyed to Turkish officials that every nation with influence over Hamas should press for the group’s acceptance of the deal without delay.
In a rare show of bipartisan support for Israel on U.S. soil, leaders from the Democratic-led Senate and the Republican-led House of Representatives invited Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress. The week witnessed heightened tensions following an Israeli airstrike in Rafah that resulted in the death of 45 Palestinians.
“In this war, the Palestinian people have endured sheer hell,” Biden remarked somberly on Friday, reflecting on the harrowing imagery from the recent conflict.
(With the exception of the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is sourced from Reuters)
