President Joe Biden on Friday announced a proposed ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, but its terms repeat those that Hamas has already rejected in recent weeks.
Biden’s comments came after the start of the Jewish Sabbath in Israel, meaning the Israeli government will not be able to respond to his comments, at least officially, for around 24 hours.
He claimed Israel had proposed a new deal, which was then handed over to Hamas through a Qatari intermediary, but then he criticized members of the Israeli government for opposing its terms.
The Israel Times Said It is unclear whether the Israeli government actually accepted those terms.
Biden said the proposed agreement would be divided into three phases.
- A six-week ceasefire that sees the release of some hostages, including five American hostages; Israel releases a number of Palestinian prisoners; Palestinian civilians are allowed to return to their homes throughout Gaza; and humanitarian aid is pumped into the Gaza Strip for distribution to civilians.
- Negotiations towards a permanent ceasefire have begun and will continue beyond the six-week deadline as long as the negotiations continue. If the negotiations are successful, all remaining hostages will be released.
- A major reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip will be implemented and the bodies of dead hostages will be returned.
These are the same terms that have been discussed for months, including in recent talks in Egypt. Hamas rejected those terms, accepting only a deal that was never offered, in which Israel would agree to stop fighting before releasing the hostages.
Hamas has been an obstacle to any agreement so far, insisting that Israel must agree to a permanent ceasefire before releasing some of the hostages.
Biden acknowledged that the proposal does not require the complete defeat of Hamas, but argued that “at this point, Hamas does not have the capacity to carry out another October 7th.”
Biden blasted skeptics of the plan within the Israeli government, claiming without evidence that “the hostages are not a priority for Israel.” He also said Israel’s pursuit of a goal of “total victory” is futile and “will only strand Israel in Gaza.” He suggested he could strike a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia after the war ends.
Biden began his speech by praising the New York conviction of former President Donald Trump, saying it showed “no one is above the law” and called it “reckless” to claim the trial was “rigged.”
It is unclear why Biden felt the need to deliver a speech announcing a series of proposals that have already been put forward, but perhaps he did so as an excuse to respond to Trump’s ruling without organizing a press conference specifically for that purpose.
It is also possible that Hamas may feel new pressure and be more open to negotiations as a result of the Israeli military operation in Rafah: Israel now controls the Gaza-Egypt border, cutting off Hamas’ smuggling route.
Joel B. Pollack is executive editor of Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday The show airs Sunday nights from 7 to 10 p.m. (4 to 7 p.m. ET) on SiriusXM Patriot. He recently published an e-book,The Zionist Conspiracy (And How to Join It)” is available on Audible. He is also the author of an e-book. Not Free or Fair: The 2020 US Presidential ElectionHe is the recipient of the Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship in 2018. Follow him on Twitter. Joel Pollack.
