President Joe Biden announced that Israel had put forward a “comprehensive new [ceasefire] proposal” in remarks at the White House on Friday.
“After intensive diplomacy carried out by my team and my many conversations with leaders of Israel, Qatar, and Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries, Israel has now offered — Israel has offered — a comprehensive new proposal. It’s a roadmap to an enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages. This proposal has been transmitted by Qatar to Hamas,” Biden said.
The president said the proposal has three phases, the first of which “would last for six weeks” and include “a full and complete ceasefire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, release of a number of hostages — including women, the elderly, the wounded — and exchange release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.”
“There are American hostages who would be released at this stage, and we want them home,” Biden continued. “Additionally, some remains of hostages who have been killed would be returned to their families, bringing some degree of closure to their terrible grief. Palestinian civilians would return to their homes and neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza, including in the north. The humanitarian assistance would surge, with 600 trucks carrying aid into Gaza every single day.”
