What Hamas Said to Biden's Ceasefire Proposal

Daily Bijoy News Special Correspondent:

US President Joe Biden has called on Hamas to accept Israel's new proposal to end the war in the besieged Gaza. He said, the time has come to end this war. The new three-phase proposal calls for a full ceasefire in Gaza. Now it's time to decide.

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas views this offer of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza positively. Hamas said in a statement on Friday that Hamas is ready to view positively and constructively any proposal for a permanent ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced people to their homes, and a genuine prisoner exchange. Hamas said Biden's call for a permanent ceasefire was "a result of the legendary tenacity of our people's struggle and their vigilant resistance".

This comment of Hamas brought relief to those concerned. Hamas has long complained that the United States has openly sided with Israel to block the ceasefire. A Palestinian official involved in mediating the truce told Reuters that Hamas now sees the US focusing on pressuring Israel to return to talks with a different stance. They are sending a message to Israel that if they don't accept a cease-fire, they risk getting into a conflict with America.

A US official said on condition of anonymity that the cease-fire proposal is four and a half pages long. It details the terms of the ceasefire. The official said Hamas had received the proposal the night before. It will take time for them to decide. He also said that the demands raised by Hamas in the past have been fulfilled except for minor ones.

The new cease-fire proposal proposed by Israel and announced by the United States has three phases. Israel itself has not announced this proposal. US President Joe Biden outlined this in a televised address on Friday night. Many analysts say there is nothing new in this. These proposals have come many times from different parties. But what is new is that it was announced by US President Joe Biden.

Biden's announced new proposal calls for three phases or phases. The first phase will last for six weeks. Actions to be taken at this time will include: full and complete ceasefire; Withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza; The release of women, elderly and wounded hostages and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons. American prisoners held in Gaza will also be released at this time.

Besides, the bodies of some of the dead prisoners will also be returned to their relatives. Palestinian civilians will be able to return to their homes in all areas of Gaza. They can also return to northern Gaza. 600 truckloads of aid enter Gaza each day.

A ceasefire will allow aid to be delivered safely and effectively to those in need. The international community will provide hundreds of thousands of temporary shelters, including housing units. During this six-week break, Israel and Hamas will negotiate a second phase. And that hostility will permanently stop. However, if the negotiators take more than six weeks, the six-week ceasefire will continue beyond this period. The United States, Egypt and Qatar will work to secure all agreements.

In the second phase, all remaining hostages will be released. Among them will be Israeli male soldiers. Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza. As long as Hamas fulfills its commitments, the cease-fire agreement will remain in place. As a result, this agreement will become a permanent cease-fire agreement, a permanent end to hostilities. The third phase will involve major reconstruction in Gaza. At this stage, the bodies of hostages who died, if any remain in Gaza, will be returned. Sources: Times of Israel, Al Jazeera

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