Israel has agreed to ‘enduring’ Gaza ceasefire proposal, Biden

In a major development, President Joe Biden revealed that Israel has agreed to a proposal that would lead to a “lasting” ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The president made the announcement during a presser at the White House on Friday afternoon.

“Israel has put forward a comprehensive new proposal to end the war,” he said. “It’s a roadmap to an enduring ceasefire.”

According to Biden, the new proposal involves three phases.

First phase: A full and complete ceasefire for six weeks as well as the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza.

The move would also see a number of hostages held in in the Gaza Strip– including women and the elderly –released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

Humanitarian aid would flow into Gaza.

Calling the release of American hostages, he said that the proposal would be transmitted to the Palestinian group Hamas through Qatar.

Hamas has also welcomed Biden’s statement and called for “a permanent ceasefire, withdrawal of [Israeli] occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction and prisoners exchange”.

The group also said it was ready to respond “positively and constructively” to any proposal that includes those measures.

Biden’s announcement came as efforts to reach a ceasefire have faltered amid the Israeli military’s push into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Dozens have been killed so far in deadly Israeli attacks on Rafah. More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since the war began in early October.