Israel continues to attack Gaza’s densely populated southern town of Rafah, ignoring calls from the international community not to. In this situation, Biden announced the cease-fire proposal of Israel very unexpectedly on Friday.
Hamas considers US President Joe Biden’s ceasefire proposal ‘positive’.
Today, AFP reports, Hamas issued a statement yesterday evening after the US President called on Hamas to accept the ceasefire proposal.
According to the statement, they view Biden’s statement on “the establishment of a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the reconstruction of the valley and the exchange of prisoners”.
President Biden called for an end to the nearly eight-month-old Gaza war while announcing Israel’s cease-fire proposal.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately reacted negatively to Biden’s call for peace talks. He stressed that Israeli forces would continue to fight until Hamas’ ability to rule Gaza and pose a threat to Israel was eliminated.
Israel continues to attack Gaza’s southern town of Rafah, ignoring calls from the international community. In this situation, Biden announced the cease-fire proposal of Israel yesterday quite unexpectedly.
Biden made this call at the White House yesterday local time.
He said, ‘It is time to end this war’.
In this new three-stage proposal, Biden said to Hamas that there is an opportunity to implement a complete ceasefire in Gaza, ‘Hamas always says, they want a ceasefire. Now is the chance for Hamas to prove whether they really want it or not.
According to the BBC, Biden’s proposal is being implemented in three stages. A six-week ceasefire will be implemented in the first phase. During this time, Israeli troops will be withdrawn from all populated areas of Gaza.
Hamas will release a ‘specified number’ of hostages during the ceasefire. Among them will be women, elderly people and injured hostages. In return, hundreds of people imprisoned in Israel will be released. Apart from this, the bodies of those who died as hostages in the hands of Hamas must be handed over to their families.
Palestinian civilians in all areas of Gaza will be allowed to return to their homes. Also, the humanitarian assistance program in Gaza will be increased. 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid will be allowed to enter Gaza every day. The international community will provide thousands of temporary shelters for Gazans.
Peace talks brokered by the US and Qatar will continue during the six-week ceasefire. If the negotiations are successful, then the next phase of planning will begin.
Hamas will release the surviving hostages in the second phase. Among them will be male army hostages. At the same time, the last troops of the Israeli forces will be withdrawn from the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire will be upgraded to a ‘permanent cessation of hostilities’.
In the third phase, the process of returning the hostages will be completed completely. A major ‘reconstruction plan’ for Gaza will begin to be implemented. Under this, houses, schools and hospitals will be rebuilt in the Gaza Strip with US and international assistance.
British Foreign Minister David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalina Bierbock have agreed with President Biden’s call to accept a cease-fire offer to Hamas and end the war in Gaza.
On the other hand, UN chief Antonio Guterres also “strongly hopes” that the latest proposal will help to move “on the path of an agreement between the two sides for lasting peace”.