President Biden Details Israel's New 'Comprehensive' Ceasefire Proposal To Hamas

4 months ago

On Friday, President Biden spoke about Israel putting forward a "roadmap to an enduring ceasefire" with Hamas.

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Transcript

00:00Now, to another issue.

00:03I want to give an update on my efforts to end the crisis in Gaza.

00:08For the past several months, my negotiators of foreign policy and intelligence community

00:14alike have been relentlessly focused not just on a ceasefire that would inevitably be fragile

00:22and temporary, but on a durable end of the war.

00:26That's been the focus, a durable end of this war.

00:29One that brings all the hostages home, ensures Israel's security, creates a better day

00:36after in Gaza without Hamas in power, and sets the stage for a political settlement

00:43that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

00:49Now, after intensive diplomacy carried out by my team and my many conversations with

00:55leaders of Israel, Qatar, and Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries, Israel has

01:00now offered – Israel has offered a comprehensive new proposal.

01:04It's a roadmap to an enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

01:12This proposal has been transmitted by Qatar to Hamas.

01:16Today, I want to lay out its terms for American citizens and for the world.

01:23This new proposal has three phases – three.

01:27The first phase would last for six weeks.

01:31Here's what it would include.

01:33A full and complete ceasefire.

01:35A withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza.

01:41Release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly, the wounded, and exchange

01:46release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

01:50There are American hostages who would be released at this stage, and we want them home.

01:55Additional, some remains of hostages who have been killed would be returned to their families,

02:01bringing some degree closer to their terrible grief.

02:05Palestinian civilians would return to their homes and neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza,

02:12including in the north.

02:14Humanitarian assistance would surge, with 600 trucks carrying aid into Gaza every single day.

02:23With a ceasefire, that aid could be safely and effectively distributed to all who need it.

02:31Hundreds of thousands of temporary shelters, including housing units, would be delivered

02:35by the international community.

02:38All that and more would begin immediately.

02:42Immediately.

02:44During the six weeks of Phase 1, Israel and Hamas would negotiate the necessary arrangements

02:50to get to Phase 2, which is a permanent end to hostilities.

02:57Now, I'll be straight with you.

02:59There are a number of details to negotiate to move from Phase 1 to Phase 2.

03:04Israel will want to make sure its interests are protected.

03:08But the proposal says, if the negotiations take longer than six weeks, for Phase 1,

03:15the ceasefire will still continue as long as negotiations continue.

03:19In the United States, Egypt and Qatar would work to ensure negotiations keep going.

03:25All agreements, all agreements, until all the agreements are reached and Phase 2 is able to begin.

03:32Then Phase 2 would be an exchange for the release of all remaining living hostages,

03:40including male soldiers.

03:42Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza.

03:44And as long as Hamas lives up to its commitments, a temporary ceasefire would become, in the

03:49words of the Israeli proposal, the cessation of hostilities permanently, end of quote.

03:56Cessation of hostilities permanently.

03:59Finally, in Phase 3, a major reconstruction plan for Gaza would commence.

04:06And any final remains of hostages who've been killed would be returned to their families.

04:13That's the offer that's now on the table.

President Biden Details Israel's New 'Comprehensive' Ceasefire Proposal To Hamas

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