WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Friday that Israel has proposed a three-part plan that would ultimately lead to a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as well as the release of all hostages held there over the past eight months.
From the White House, Biden said the proposal comes after intensive diplomacy by his team. The plan was passed on to Hamas via Qatar, one of the main mediators in the negotiations.
Biden’s announcement is notable because he and his administration have faced opposition from the far-left wing of the Democratic Party, especially with the general election in full swing.
People have been demonstrating across the country, including students who set up encampments on college campuses last month. And members of the Biden administration have also left their jobs in protest of U.S. policy toward Israel.
The first phase of the plan would begin with six weeks of a complete ceasefire, including the withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated areas of Gaza, and the release of women and children held hostage, Biden said during the surprise announcement. This first phase would also include a wave of humanitarian aid, with 600 trucks transporting aid to Gaza every day.
Biden said Israel and Hamas would negotiate a permanent ceasefire in that first phase and admitted there could be major hurdles.
“I’ll be honest with you, there are a number of things that need to be negotiated to move from phase one to phase two,” he said.
The president said phase two would not begin until all agreements were reached. That second phase would involve the release of all living hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
The final phase would be the start of a large-scale reconstruction plan in Gaza and the return of the remains of deceased hostages to their families.
“I have urged Israel’s leaders to support this deal, no matter what [political] There will be pressure,” Biden said.
While Israeli officials did not comment on the specific terms Biden outlined, a statement from the Israeli prime minister is included Benjamin NetanyahuThe government office said he had authorized the government negotiating team to “present an outline” that would include “the return of all our abductees and the elimination of Hamas’ military and government capabilities.”
Netanyahu, who has repeatedly pledged not to end the war until Hamas is destroyed, is under intense pressure from the families of hostages, many of whom say he and the government are not working hard enough to secure the return of their loved ones.
Hamas released a statement saying the group “stands positively on what was in US President Joe Biden’s speech today.” Hamas also said it would only consider proposals if they were based on, among other things, a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Friday’s statement echoed a statement a day earlier in which the group claimed that if Israel ended the war in Gaza, it would be willing to “reach a full agreement that includes a comprehensive exchange agreement.”
The Qatari Foreign Ministry stressed in a statement “the importance of creating genuine political conditions for the establishment of an independent and fully sovereign Palestinian state.” Qatar has been closely involved in the mediation between the parties during the negotiations.
In a statement released after Biden’s announcement, former President Barack Obama praised the outlined plan, writing that a ceasefire would “save lives” and “lay the foundation for what will be a long and difficult road to a future where Israel is safe and at peace. with its neighbors, and Palestinians will finally have the security, freedom and self-determination they have long sought.”
Biden’s announcement comes after Israeli forces moved further into the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Tuesday, days after an airstrike caused a major fire that killed dozens of Palestinians.
Biden has grown increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu in recent months, even though the US successfully defended its ally against Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel in April.
In March, Biden warned Netanyahu that Israel would launch a military strike in Rafah, with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan saying after the two leaders spoke that it “would be a mistake.” And in early May, the US halted a major shipment of assault weapons to Israel. Despite what appeared to be Biden’s red line, the White House said earlier this week that Israel had not crossed it.
The war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on October 7 that killed some 1,200 and resulted in the kidnapping of 240 people, has killed about 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza officials.
Israel was sharply criticized and became increasingly isolated during the war.
In recent weeks, the International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have fled after being driven from their homes.
The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor has requested arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and others for alleged war crimes.
Last week, Spain, Norway and Ireland formally recognized a Palestinian state, a move strongly opposed by Israel.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
