Joe Biden outlined a “comprehensive” deal to bring the fighting in Gaza to an end on Friday and appealed directly to ordinary Israelis and Palestinians to accept it.
Putting himself at the centre of the long-running ceasefire negotiations for the first time, the US president urged those who wanted peace to make their voices heard, saying it was the best way to end the conflict.
“It’s time for this war to end, for the day after to begin,” he said.
The new plan is similar to the deal that collapsed three weeks ago amid claim and counterclaim from both sides.
It was an approved “Israeli proposal”, Mr Biden stressed, made up of three phases which would lead to “cessation of hostilities permanently” and the rebuilding of Gaza.
He said it was now up to Hamas to come to the negotiating table and for the Israeli leadership to stand by its proposal.
“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 and hostages are not a priority for them. Well, I’ve urged leadership in Israel to stand behind this deal, despite whatever pressure comes,” Mr Biden said.
The first phase of the deal would last for six weeks. It would include a full and complete ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages including women, the elderly and the wounded in exchange for the release of “hundreds of Palestinian prisoners”.
At the same time “Palestinian civilians will return to their homes and neighbourhoods in all areas of Gaza, including in the north; and humanitarian assistance would surge with 600 trucks carrying aid into Gaza every single day,” Mr Biden said.
During the initial six-week phase, Israel and Hamas would “negotiate the necessary arrangements to get to phase two, which is a permanent end to hostilities,” the president added.
“Finally, in phase three, a major reconstruction plan for Gaza would commence, and the final remains of hostages who’ve been killed will be returned to their families. That’s the offer that’s now on the table.”
Mr Biden acknowledged that negotiating the precise terms of the second part of the deal in the initial six weeks would be difficult but insisted that it could be done.
The US, Egypt and Qatar would work to ensure that those negotiations continued until an agreement was reached, he said.
“As long as Hamas lives up to its commitments, the temporary ceasefire would become permanent,” Mr Biden said.
It is a deal “that brings all the hostages home, ensures Israel’s security, creates a better day after in Gaza without Hamas in power, and sets the stage for a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” he added.
In another shift of gear, Mr Biden warned the Israelis they risked further isolation if they failed to grasp the moment.
Israel no longer faced a major threat from Hamas as “at this point, Hamas no longer is capable of carrying out another October 7,” he said.
“To the people of Israel, let me say this…You can’t lose this moment, indefinite war in pursuit of an unidentified notion of total victory, draining the economic, military, human and human resources and furthering Israel’s isolation in the world. That will not bring hostages home, that will not bring an enduring defeat of Hamas, that will not bring Israel lasting security.”
Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, echoed the president’s words.
“With a new hostage agreement on the table, Hamas must accept this deal so we can see a stop in the fighting, the hostages released and returned to their families and a flood of humanitarian aid into Gaza”, he said in a social media post.
“As we’ve long argued, a stop in the fighting can be turned into a permanent peace if we are all prepared to take the right steps. Let’s seize this moment and bring this conflict to an end”.
The office of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, confirmed that he had “authorised negotiators to present proposal for return of hostages held in Gaza”.
“The Gaza war will not end until all goals are achieved, including the return of all hostages and the destruction of Hamas,” the statement added.
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