Netanyahu asserts that conflict will cease once Hamas is vanquished.
A shocking turn of events has occurred as US President Joe Biden puts forward a plan for a truce in the ongoing Gaza war. He appeals to the entire Israeli government to relinquish their opposition to a weapons truce. In response, Netanyahu's office has reiterated Israel's war objectives.
After President Joe Biden announced a new plan for a prisoner exchange and ceasefire in the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified his country's war goals. The conflict won't end until all hostages are safely returned and the power and command of Hamas are eliminated, Netanyahu's office declared.
In light of this announcement, Netanyahu has given his negotiating team permission to present a plan that would achieve those objectives. It's unclear if this refers to Biden's current proposal. Israeli media saw this speech from Biden as a direct message to the public. The major broadcaster Channel 12 abruptly halted its news broadcast and aired Biden's address live. It seems that Israel had blocked the dissemination of such details before.
Hamas accepts proposal favorably
A surprising development has arisen in the Gaza war, as President Biden has presented a proposal for a ceasefire that is said to have been agreed upon through the US, Qatar, and Egyptian mediation. The plan consists of three phases, offering a permanent truce and the return of all hostages. Biden assured that Israel could sign the agreement without compromising its safety. In his estimation, Hamas will never be able to orchestrate a massacre like the one on October 7 again.
Biden emphasized the aspirations of Israeli leadership: "There are those in Israel who don't support this plan and want the war to last forever. Some are even a part of the government coalition and desire to seize Gaza. They want to keep fighting for ages - hostages are not a priority for them." Biden implored, "I called on the Israeli leadership to support this deal" - braving the pressure.
Qatar allegedly passed the proposal on to Hamas, according to US sources. A top US government official revealed, "It took a lot of effort to craft this proposal, and it's almost the same as what Hamas themselves proposed a few weeks ago." Hamas later affirmed their support for the content of the plan for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Earlier, Hamas had stated their readiness for an agreement that involved hostage exchange for Palestinian prisoners, as long as Israel ceased attacks in the Gaza Strip.
The conflicts between Israel's government and Hamas have stalled due to a demand from the latter that the end of the war by Israel was a prerequisite for releasing more hostages.
In the first phase, lasting six weeks, a complete and unrestricted ceasefire would be implemented, and the Israeli forces would withdraw from all densely populated areas in the Gaza Strip. A specific group of hostages would be immediately released - including women, the elderly, and those injured. In exchange, hundreds of Palestinians held in Israel would be freed. The Hamas would then return the remains of some slain hostages to their families. The focus would shift towards bringing rapid humanitarian aid to the coastal region and initiating cleanup operations at the onset of the ceasefire.
During the six-week phase, negotiations would transpire between Israel and Hamas to reach an accord in Phase Two: a permanent end to the hostilities. In this second phase, all surviving hostages would be released, including male soldiers. The Israeli military would have to fully evacuate the Gaza Strip. This process would also take about six weeks.
Reconstruction in the Gaza Strip would then commence in Phase Three - lasting between three to five years, with assistance from the US and the international community. Finally, the last remains of slain Israeli hostages would be returned to their families.
Read also:
- Despite President Joe Biden's proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains that the conflict won't end until Hamas is disarmed and all hostages are safely returned.
- During a live broadcast by Channel 12, US President Joe Biden urged Israeli leadership to support his proposal for a ceasefire, stressing that Hamas would never pose a threat like before.
- In response to the US proposal for a ceasefire, Hamas in the Gaza Strip has expressed support, welcoming the return of hostages and the end to hostilities.
- The ongoing Israel war in Gaza has placed a significant strain on relations between the USA and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who insists on the elimination of Hamas before considering a truce.
