The United States (U.S.) President Joe Biden gave an extraordinary address last night, which he dedicated to the current crisis in the Middle East, as well as the verdict against former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Biden then turned to the Middle East, stressing that the U.S. is relentlessly focused on a permanent end to the war and the return of the hostages home.
He said the U.S. wants to create a “better day after” in Gaza without Hamas, as well as security for Israel.
Biden said Israel offered a new proposal, a plan for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages.
The proposal was delivered to Hamas through Qatar, he said. Now Biden is laying out his terms.
Israel’s proposal has three phases. The first phase would take six weeks, he said.
It would include:
a complete and permanent ceasefire
withdrawal of Israeli forces “from all populated areas of Gaza”
the release of a certain number of hostages, including women, the elderly, the wounded
this would be in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners
Biden said that Palestinian civilians would be able to return to their homes in all areas of Gaza, and humanitarian aid would increase significantly.
The cease-fire plan would allow humanitarian aid to “flow in,” with “600 trucks bringing aid to Gaza every day.”
Biden went on to outline a three-phase proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza.
As part of the second phase, he said, all remaining alive hostages would return and a temporary ceasefire would take effect.
Biden said the third phase of Israel’s plan would also include the return of the remains of hostages taken from Israel to Gaza on October 7th.
“It is time for this war to end, and for a new day to begin,” he stated, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.
