Biden Announces Israeli Proposal for Lasting Cease-Fire in Gaza

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President Joe Biden has revealed that Israel has put forward a comprehensive new proposal aimed at achieving a lasting cease-fire in Gaza and securing the release of all remaining hostages taken on October 7. This significant development comes after intensive diplomatic efforts by the Biden administration, involving numerous conversations with leaders from Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries.

 

"After intensive diplomacy carried out by my team, my many conversations with leaders of Israel, Qatar and Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries, Israel has offered a comprehensive new proposal. It’s a road map to an enduring cease-fire and the release of all hostages," Biden announced. This statement marks the strongest indication yet of a potential end to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

 

According to President Biden, the proposal has been transmitted to Hamas through Qatar, but the terrorist organization that governs the Gaza Strip has not yet formally accepted the plan. "This is truly a decisive moment. Israel has made their proposal. Hamas says it wants a cease-fire — this deal is an opportunity to prove whether they really mean it. Hamas needs to take the deal," Biden stated from the White House podium.

 

The president also addressed the Israeli public, emphasizing the importance of backing the deal. He argued that the Israeli military has already inflicted significant damage on Hamas since the war began, to the extent that a repeat of the events of October 7 is no longer feasible. "The people of Israel should know, they can make this offer without any further risk to their own security, because they’ve devastated Hamas … for the past eight months. At this point, Hamas no longer is capable of carrying out another Oct. 7, which is one of Israel’s main objectives of this war, and quite frankly a righteous one," Biden said.

 

Biden acknowledged that there might be dissenting voices within Israel who oppose the negotiated deal, some of whom are part of the government coalition. "I know there are those in Israel who will not agree with this plan and will call for the war to continue indefinitely. Some are even in the government coalition. They’ve made it clear they want to occupy Gaza, they want to keep fighting for years; the hostages are not a priority for them," he warned. "I urge Israel to stand behind this deal, despite whatever pressure comes."

 

When asked whether Biden believed Israel had effectively won the war against Hamas, senior administration officials clarified that Israel has had success in "degrading Hamas’s military capacity." They noted that the proposal on the table now wouldn't have been possible three months ago.

 

The proposed plan is structured into three distinct phases. The initial phase includes a six-week cease-fire, during which time Israeli forces would withdraw from all populated areas of Gaza, and all remaining hostages taken on October 7 would be released. This phase also includes parameters for internally displaced Palestinians to return to their homes and the beginning of reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

According to a senior administration official, each phase would be approximately 42 days long. During the six-week cease-fire, phase one would focus on starting rehabilitation efforts, restoring essential services, clearing rubble, and providing temporary shelters and housing for the people of Gaza.

 

Phase two would involve the release of all remaining hostages, including male soldiers, necessitating another set of negotiations. This phase would also see a permanent cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza.

 

The third phase entails an extensive three-to-five-year reconstruction program for Gaza, supported by the U.S. and the international community, aimed at the rehabilitation and stabilization of the strip. 

 

During the six-week cease-fire, Israel and Hamas would negotiate the necessary arrangements to transition to phase two. However, if these negotiations extended beyond six weeks, the cease-fire would remain in place as long as talks continued, Biden explained. "There are a number of details to negotiate to move from phase one to phase two. Israel will want to make sure its interests are protected, but the proposal says [if the] negotiations take longer than six weeks from phase one, the cease-fire will still continue as long as negotiations continue," he said. "As long as Hamas lives up to its commitment, a temporary cease-fire would become, in the words of the Israeli proposal, a cessation of hostilities permanently."

 

This latest proposal comes less than a month after earlier cease-fire talks, which had sparked optimism, ended without an agreement between Hamas and Israel. The U.S., Egypt, and Qatar had worked tirelessly on that previous truce proposal, which aimed to secure the release of Israeli hostages and pause fighting in Gaza.

 

Friday’s announcement coincides with Israeli forces operating in central Rafah, expanding their military operations despite warnings from the White House against widely targeting the densely populated area in Gaza. The White House had earlier stated that an Israeli strike that triggered a secondary explosion, killing Hamas leaders and dozens of civilians, did not cross a "red line" that would have led to a shift in policy toward aid for Israel.

Biden reiterated his commitment to Israel, noting his "lifelong" support for the country and his visit to Israel at the start of the war to reaffirm his backing. "I ask you to take a step back, think what will happen if this moment is lost. We can’t lose this moment," he urged. "Indefinite war in pursuit of an identified notion of total victory will … only bog down Israel and Gaza."

 

Biden has consistently supported the idea of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, and senior administration officials suggested that the latest proposal could pave the way for such an outcome in the long term. "We have to have a Gaza with Hamas no longer in power, with Hamas no longer able to threaten Israel," Biden asserted. "When the president talks about the importance of the day after in his speech, all the elements of that are part of a day after."

 

This new proposal represents a significant step toward ending the conflict in Gaza and fostering a sustainable peace. With the international community’s support and a commitment to the proposed plan’s phases, there is a potential path forward that could stabilize the region and lay the groundwork for lasting peace.

 

Biden full WhiteHouse transcipt

 

 

Credit: The Hill 2024-06-04

 

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