President Joe Biden has laid out a three-phase Israeli proposal to end the conflict in Gaza, saying “It’s time for this war to end.”
Speaking at the White House, Biden said Hamas has been degraded to a point where it can no longer carry out the type of attack that launched the current eight-month conflict.
The three phases: Biden said the first phase would last six weeks and include the “withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza” and “release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly, the wounded in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.”
He said second phase would allow for the “exchange for the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers.”
“And as long as Hamas lives up to its commitments, the temporary ceasefire would become, in the words of the Israeli proposals, ‘the cessation of hostilities permanently,’” Biden added.
In the third phase, the president said, a “major reconstruction plan for Gaza would commence and any final remains of hostages who’ve been killed will be returned to their families.”
Hamas and Israel respond: The militant group said it “views positively” what was outlined, and said it would respond “constructively” to any ceasefire and hostage plan.
Soon after Biden detailed the Israeli proposal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the country would not end the war until Hamas is defeated.
The Prime Minister’s Office insisted the proposal allows Israel to “maintain these principles.”
Read more about the peace proposal here.
