President Biden Unveils, Approves Details of New Israeli Ceasefire Proposal: NPR

President Biden calls for an end to the war in Gaza.

He announced at the White House on Friday that Israel had proposed a “new comprehensive proposal” that provides a “road map to a lasting ceasefire and the release of all hostages.”

Biden said the proposal was conveyed by Qatar to Hamas, the militant group that controlled Gaza until its attack on Israel last October led to the latest conflict. The Hamas attack killed around 1,200 people. Israel's response has so far killed around 36,000 people.

The president's remarks pleaded for an end to hostilities and called on Israel and Hamas to accept the plan as the only way to achieve lasting peace.

The president's plan came a day after his rival in the presidential race, Donald Trump, was found guilty by a New York jury of 34 counts of business fraud. Trump, in remarks hours before Biden's, blasted the verdict and, without evidence, said it was engineered by the White House.

Biden is under increasing pressure due to the conflict in Gaza and his support for the Israeli government's response. He tried to moderate this position while his own allies criticized him for not doing enough to end the conflict.

“People all over the world have been calling for a ceasefire,” Biden said Friday. “Now is the time to raise our voices and demand that Hamas come to the table and accept this deal. »

Israel issued a vague statement following Biden's speech, saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized a proposal to maintain its goal of repatriating the hostages as quickly as possible, but insisted that “war will end only when all the hostages are finished.” [the Israeli government’s] the objectives are achieved, including the return of all our abductees and the elimination of Hamas' military and government capabilities.

That promise – to eliminate Hamas – seemed at odds with Biden's call to end the fighting, in which he said the Palestinian militant group no longer had the capacity to launch another attack similar to that of October 7 .

On Friday afternoon, Congress released a letter inviting Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress.

How the ceasefire plan would work out

Biden began his speech by first addressing former President Donald Trump's guilty verdict, saying the justice system was working as it should and it was dangerous for Trump to suggest otherwise.

He then outlined the three phases of the Israeli proposal.

The first phase lasts six weeks: a total and complete ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, as well as the release of a number of hostages – including American hostages – in exchange of the release of “hundreds” of Palestinian prisoners. The remains of the killed hostages will also be returned to their families. Gaza citizens would be able to return home to any part of the coastal enclave and more aid – up to 600 trucks per day – would be delivered to stave off what experts predict will be a looming famine.

During this phase, he said, Israel and Hamas would negotiate a phase 2: “a permanent end to hostilities.” As long as negotiations continue, the ceasefire will endure and potentially last longer than the initial six weeks. Phase 2 would also see the release of all hostages still alive.

Phase 3 would mark the start of a “major Gaza reconstruction plan” and the final remains of the hostages would be returned to their families.

Many challenges await us

Biden acknowledged that even some in the Israeli government do not agree with the plan and could pressure Israel to abandon it.

“As the only American president to visit Israel during wartime, as someone who simply sent American forces to directly defend Israel when it was attacked by Iran, I ask you to step back and think about what is going to happen. if this moment is lost,” Biden said. “We can’t lose this moment.”

He said an “indefinite war” would not defeat Hamas and “would not bring lasting security to Israel.”

Earlier this week, Israel's national security adviser said the war would last at least another seven months. The hostages' families also said he told them the war would not stop until they returned.

After Biden's remarks, Hamas issued a statement saying it welcomed Biden's call for a permanent ceasefire. He adds: “The movement affirms its position of readiness to treat in a positive and constructive manner any proposal based on a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the reconstruction, the return of the displaced to all their places of residence and the completion of the peace process. a serious prisoner exchange agreement if the occupation declares its explicit commitment in this regard.

A senior administration official forced Hamas to accept the Israeli framework, suggesting the plan was similar to what Hamas itself recently proposed.

Washington continues to focus its attention on Israel

Congressional leaders have spent the past few weeks negotiating a plan to invite Netanyhu to speak to lawmakers. The topic has created a complex political situation for Democrats, in particular, as a growing number of their members have expressed concerns about Israel's handling of the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

House Republicans have advanced several bills intended to highlight these divisions, including bills defining anti-Semitism and requiring the White House to deliver weapons to Israel without conditions.

The brief letter of invitation to Netanyahu refers to Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, saying the attack shocked the world and “forced your nation to fight for its very existence.” The leaders did not offer a specific date for the speech.

“The existential challenges we face, including the growing partnership between Iran, Russia and China, threaten the security, peace and prosperity of our countries and free people around the world,” we read in the letter. “To build on our enduring relationship and underscore America’s solidarity with Israel, we invite you to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, combating terrorism, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.”