NOCH AH MOHL: Biden: Ceasefire Plan Is The Only Way To Achieve A Lasting Peace

“This year, Eid al-Adha comes at a difficult time for many Muslims around the world. In Gaza, innocent civilians are suffering the horrors of the war between Hamas and Israel. Too many innocent people have been killed, including thousands of children. Families have fled their homes and seen their communities destroyed. Their pain is immense,” Biden said in his statement.

“My Administration is doing everything we can to bring an end to the war, free all hostages, deliver humanitarian relief, and work toward a future two-state solution, which I continue to believe is the only way to achieve a lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis. And I strongly believe that the three-phase ceasefire proposal Israel has made to Hamas and that the UN Security Council has endorsed is the best way to end the violence in Gaza and ultimately end the war,” he added.

Hamas provided its official response to the proposal last Tuesday. A senior Israeli official confirmed that Israel had received Hamas’ response and noted that the group had rejected Biden’s plan.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned on Saturday that mediators from Qatar and Egypt are planning to approach Hamas soon to explore possible ways to advance the proposal.

He also informed reporters that US officials have thoroughly reviewed Hamas’ response.

“We think some of the edits are not unexpected and can be managed. Some of them are inconsistent both with what President Biden laid out and what the UN Security Council endorsed. And we are having to deal with that reality,” Sullivan stated.

According to Biden’s outlined proposal, the initial phase of the three-stage process would span six weeks, involving a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, and the release of several hostages, including women, the elderly, and the wounded, in exchange for the liberation of hundreds of Palestinian Arab prisoners.

The second phase would entail the release of all remaining living hostages, while the third phase would focus on “a major reconstruction plan for Gaza,” as the President described, along with the return of the remains of deceased hostages to their families.

{Dov T. Heller – Matzav.com}