Biden: Ceasefire Agreement Between Israel and Hamas is 'Still Possible'

Joe Biden, the President of the United States, stated in an interview with CBS aired on Sunday, August 12, that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is 'still possible.' Biden reminded that his proposed plan for establishing a ceasefire and returning hostages taken by Hamas has been approved by the G7 and the United Nations Security Council and is still executable. The U.S. President added that he is literally working 'every day' to prevent the current situation in the Middle East from turning into a regional war, warning that this could 'easily' happen. Biden announced on Friday, May 31, a new multi-phase proposal from Israel to end the war in Gaza, stating that if this agreement is reached, 'Israel could be part of a regional security network to counter threats from Iran.' When unveiling this agreement, he said it would 'bring all hostages home, ensure Israel's security, create a better situation for Gaza after Hamas, and pave the way for a political solution... [and] a better future for both Israelis and Palestinians.' Biden explained that the new proposal consists of three phases, with the first phase lasting six weeks, during which a complete ceasefire will be established, Israeli soldiers will withdraw from all inhabited areas in Gaza, and a number of hostages, including women, the elderly, and injured Israelis, will be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. According to him, the bodies of some deceased hostages will also be returned to their families in this phase. Biden added that during this six weeks, Palestinian civilians will return to their homes and neighborhoods in Gaza, including the north, and 600 trucks of humanitarian aid will be delivered to them daily. The U.S. President stated that during these six weeks, Israel and Hamas, with the help of the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, will negotiate the necessary arrangements to enter the second phase and end hostilities permanently. According to the proposed Israeli plan, in the second phase, all living Israeli hostages will be released, and the Israeli army will withdraw from the entire Gaza Strip. Regarding the third and final phase of the proposed Israeli plan, Biden mentioned that reconstruction of Gaza will begin in this phase, and the bodies of the remaining deceased Israeli hostages will be returned to their families. The increase in tensions followed the deadly attack on August 1 by Israel against Foad Shukr, the highest military commander of Hezbollah, as well as an attack attributed to Israel against Ismail Haniyeh, the former head of Hamas's political bureau, placing the Middle East on the brink of a direct confrontation between the Iranian government and its proxy groups, especially Hezbollah, on one side, and Israel and its allies on the other. Senior officials of the Islamic Republic, including Ali Khamenei, the leader, and Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, have threatened that they will not leave these attacks unanswered. One of the scenarios proposed in the event of a war between the Iranian government and its proxies with Israel is an attack by Hamas sleeper cells in the West Bank and possibly Israel against Israeli citizens. In response, Israel, which has not yet claimed responsibility for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, has warned that any party that attacks the country will have to pay a heavy price. Leaders of Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Netanyahu's office: The Israeli negotiating team will head to the location to resume talks on Thursday. Blinken: Ceasefire negotiations in Gaza are nearing the finish line. Kirby: The U.S. is 'cautiously optimistic' about the ceasefire talks in Gaza. Netanyahu: The ceasefire agreement must allow for the resumption of hostilities until military objectives are achieved. Netanyahu, expressing support for Biden's plan for the release of hostages, stated that Hamas is the only obstacle. The UN Security Council has supported the U.S. plan for establishing a ceasefire in Gaza; Hamas also welcomed it.