President Biden on Friday detailed a three-phase deal proposed by Israel to Hamas militants that he says would lead to the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza and could end the nearly 8-month-old Mideast war. Biden added that Hamas is "no longer capable" of carrying out another large-scale attack on Israel as he urged Israelis and Hamas to come to a deal to release hostages for an extended ceasefire. In remarks from the White House, the president called the proposal "a road map to an enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages," the AP reports. "It's time for this war to end," he added, per the New York Times. The increments:
- First phase: Implementation would start with a "full and complete ceasefire" for six weeks; a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza; and the release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly, and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. American hostages would be released, and remains of hostages who have been killed would be returned to their families. Humanitarian assistance would surge during the first phase, with 600 trucks being allowed into Gaza each day.
- Second phase: All remaining living hostages would be freed, including male soldiers, and Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. "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 said.
- Third phase: Major reconstruction would begin in Gaza, which faces decades of rebuilding from devastation caused by the war.
Biden acknowledged that keeping the deal on track would be difficult, saying there are a number of "details to negotiate" to move from the first phase to the second. (More
Israel-Hamas war stories.)
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