Don’t ‘waste this moment,’ Biden says as he unveils Israeli proposal to Hamas to end war

Israel has offered a new comprehensive ceasefire agreement to Hamas, according to US President Joe Biden.

The agreement would involve the return of Israeli hostages from Gaza and the reconstruction of civilian areas.

Mr. Biden urged Hamas and prominent figures in Israel not to “waste this moment” after ceasefire negotiations stalled earlier this month, when Israel refused to permanently end the war and intensified its assault on the city of Rafah.

“Everyone who wants peace now must raise their voices and work to make it a reality. It is time for this war to end,” the president said in a surprise speech at the White House on Friday.

“Israel has made its proposal. Hamas says it wants a ceasefire. This agreement is an opportunity to prove whether they really mean it,” he said at the press conference.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said its main goals were “the return of all our abductees and the elimination of Hamas’ military and government capabilities,” with a statement saying the three-step proposal “allows Israel to maintain these principles.

American party leaders also invited Mr. Netanyahu to address Congress.

Hamas said in a statement that it “viewed positively” what was included in Mr Biden’s speech, saying it would deal “constructively with any proposal based on a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of the Gaza Strip, reconstruction, the return of the displaced to all their places of residence and the conclusion of a serious prisoner exchange agreement if the occupation declares its explicit commitment in this regard.

Three-phase plan

The first phase of the proposed agreement would be a ceasefire lasting six weeks, during which Israel And Hamas would negotiate a permanent end to the fighting in Gaza, Mr. Biden said.

If negotiations last more than six weeks, the ceasefire will continue for as long as it takes to reach an agreement, he added.

The second phase would involve Hamas handing over the remaining 100 hostages and Israel withdrawing all its forces from Gaza.

The final phase would involve a “major reconstruction plan” for Gaza, according to the president.

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Mr. Biden said Hamas was no longer capable of carrying out another attack like the one on October 7.

Sky News Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall said he had been told the deal was not reached “with the cooperation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu”.

“Sources close to Mr. Netanyahu” told him that they did not “recognize or fully agree” with the proposal presented on Friday by Mr. Biden.

“Great moment”

Sky News US correspondent Mark Stone, however, called the announcement a “big moment”, saying it “seems significant” compared to other similar announcements made in the past.

It was only on Thursday that Hamas told Egyptian and Qatari mediators that it would not participate in future negotiations as long as the Israeli attack on Gaza continued.

The group said it was ready for a “comprehensive agreement”, including hostage exchanges, if Israel ended the war on its side.

British Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron said on Friday evening: “With a new hostage deal on the table, Hamas must accept this deal so that we can see an end to the fighting, hostages released and returned to their families and a flood of humanitarian aid. in Gaza.

“As we have long argued, stopping the fighting can turn into permanent peace if we are all willing to take the right steps. Let’s seize this moment and end this conflict.”

Former President Barack Obama also welcomed Mr. Biden’s statement, saying he “presented a clear, realistic and fair plan to establish an immediate ceasefire and end the war in Gaza.”

Mr Biden’s announcement comes after widespread condemnation of an Israeli airstrike on Rafah last Sunday, which killed at least 45 displaced Palestinians living in tents.

Distressing images of burned tents and bodies pulled from the rubble were shared around the world on social media, with the caption “all eyes on Rafah”.

Israel’s prime minister called the strike a “tragic mistake,” while an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman said much of the destruction was caused by a subsequent fire that would not have been destroyed. could not have been triggered solely by the type of ammunition used.