U.S. President Joe Biden's speech
(Video: Reuters)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition seems to be on shaky ground after U.S. President Joe Biden's speech on Saturday revealed Israel's latest proposal for a hostage deal with Hamas. However, a senior Israeli official said on Sunday that:"We want this deal." According to the official, Biden's goal was likely to pressure Qatar to "close the deal."
"The Americans felt that as time passed, the chances [to reach a deal] diminished, and did what they did. We’re overall in favor if this has any impact," the official added in the background of threats from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to withdraw from the government should the deal go through.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar
(Photo: Dana Kopel, Reuters)
Both far-right ministers threatened to leave Netanyahu’s government on Saturday, in the wake of Biden’s speech. “We’re demanding to continue the fighting aimed at eliminating Hamas and returning all of the hostages alongside the return of all Israeli residents to their homes in northern and southern Israel,” Smotrich said.
“The current deal as was detailed means the end of the war and the relinquishing of the goal of dismantling Hamas. It’s a preposterous deal which grants victory to terror and a security risk to the State of Israel,” Ben-Gvir added.
"Hamas' demand is to end the war, a demand that Israel isn’t willing to accept unless our conditions for ending the war are met," the senior Israeli official added.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held talks with various parties in Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to pressure Hamas into accepting the deal. Egypt and Qatar, in a joint statement with the Americans, said they support Biden’s framework and call on Israel and Hamas to reach a deal.
"There are things that Biden didn’t clarify, and we’re doing so in order for the public to understand," the senior official said. "He didn’t specify the entire deal; he spoke about the deal’s main points.”
He explained the first phase of the deal is expected to last 42 days. "We’re getting 33 hostages, and we demand live hostages. If some of them are dead, Hamas will have to prove it by handing over their bodies. As far as we know, most are alive. On the 16th day, after we start implementing the humanitarian phase, negotiations for the second phase will begin," he said.
The Israeli official clarified there was no agreement on the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for the hostages or their identities, despite reports to the contrary. "There’s no agreement on the key points. In fact, nothing is agreed on, but there are things the other side will benefit from – the return of residents to northern Gaza, the withdrawal of the IDF from cities, and the release of terrorists.”
“In the 28 days that follow, they’ll raise their demands and we’ll do the same: Gaza would no longer be a place threatening Israel. We’ll demand demilitarization, closing the Philadelphi Corridor and preventing the production of military equipment,” according to the official.
"We want this deal. In fact, no details of the Israeli proposal have yet been discussed with Hamas. If Hamas agrees to it, the Israeli negotiation team will head to Qatar or Egypt to finalize the details,” he said.
On Saturday, Arab news outlet Al-Majalla published the deal’s alleged roadmap which will lead to the end of the war in Gaza. The text includes terms including a complete cease-fire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the rehabilitation of the Strip within three to five years under oversight of the U.S., Egypt, Qatar and the UN.
The first phase, lasting six weeks, would include "a full and complete cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas in Gaza, the release of several hostages including women, the elderly and injured, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners."
Palestinians will be allowed to return to "their homes and neighborhoods," including in northern Gaza, and humanitarian aid will be increased to 600 trucks entering the area daily, with temporary housing and shelters provided. This phase will be accompanied by negotiations between Israel and Hamas to achieve a permanent cease-fire.
The second phase, which will also last for six weeks, will include the release of "all remaining living hostages," including IDF soldiers. If the parties continue to meet the conditions, the cease-fire will become permanent.
Following this, the third phase would involve the reconstruction of Gaza with the support of the United States and the international community. Biden said he would work with regional partners to prevent Hamas from "rearming itself."