Thursday—In an unprecedented move, The White House issued a joint announcement today alongside Brazil, Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, and Canada. The message was clear: Israel and Hamas must take decisive steps to finalize a hostage deal. The statement emphasized the signatory countries’ support for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the adoption of President Biden’s proposed outline.
The announcement highlighted the shared concern over hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, including many citizens of the signatory countries. “We fully support the move toward a ceasefire and hostage release that is now on the table, as outlined by President Biden on May 31, 2024. There is no time to lose. We call on Hamas to close this agreement that Israel is ready to move forward with and begin the process of liberating our citizens,” the leaders stated.
They underscored that this agreement could lead to an immediate ceasefire, the rehabilitation of Gaza, security assurances for both Israelis and Palestinians, and the potential for a lasting peace and a two-state solution. “At this crucial moment, we call on the leaders of Israel as well as Hamas to make all the final compromises necessary to close the deal and bring relief to the families of our abductees, as well as to those on both sides of this terrible conflict, including the civilian populations. The time has come for the war to end, and this deal is the necessary starting point,” they added.
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However, this morning, the terrorist organization Hamas reportedly rejected Israel’s proposal for a hostage deal, as detailed in the Saudi newspaper “A-Sharq.” Hamas claimed in a memo that the Israeli proposal differed significantly from the one presented by President Biden last weekend. A week after Biden’s statement, there are concerns that Hamas might achieve its primary goals while Israel’s leadership, including Netanyahu, Gallant, and Levy, faces criticism for potentially jeopardizing the nation’s fate.
Hamas criticized the agreement for proposing only a temporary ceasefire, alleging, “Israel will return the kidnapped, and then continue the war,” referring to their attacks in southern Israel last October. While Hamas expressed some optimism for Biden’s statement, they maintained that Israel’s proposal deviated fundamentally from the one Biden outlined.
Last Friday, President Biden announced a dramatic outline for a deal, which Israel presented to him, aiming to include the release of hostages and an end to the war. “This is the time for the war to end and the day after to begin,” Biden stated. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the negotiating team has the mandate to discuss the current outline.
Biden’s proposed outline involves a three-week ceasefire in the first phase, during which the IDF would withdraw from Gaza’s population centers, and the release of hostages—women, the elderly, and humanitarian cases—would begin. This phase would also allow displaced residents of Gaza to return to the north and increase the flow of humanitarian aid. Negotiations to end the war would continue without renewed fighting.
The second phase would see the release of the remaining hostages, including soldiers and older men, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Additionally, IDF forces would withdraw from the Gaza Strip. The third phase, as presented, would initiate the restoration of the massive damages in Gaza and the return of bodies held by Hamas.
