U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday said Israel has offered Hamas a cease-fire and hostage release deal that would unfold over three phases, declaring it was time to end the fighting in Gaza and that Hamas is “no longer capable” of carrying out another large-scale attack on Israel.
In a speech at the White House, the Democratic president said the first phase would last six weeks and would involve a “full and complete cease-fire,” including a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza. In return, Palestinian militants would release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly and the wounded. Israel would free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The second phase would see Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza, and would include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, Biden said.
Israeli forces are expanding their offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, once the main hub of humanitarian aid operations. The Israeli invasion has drastically cut off the flow of food, medicine and other supplies to Palestinians facing widespread hunger. Israel faces growing international criticism for its strategy of systematic destruction in Gaza — at a huge cost in civilian lives — in the nearly 8-month-old war against Hamas.
Israeli bombardments and ground offensives in the besieged territory have killed more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza`s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Israel launched its war in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250. Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more.
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