Families of Israeli Hostages Welcome Biden's Proposed Plan to End War in Gaza

Families of Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas in Gaza called for the immediate acceptance of U.S. President Joe Biden's proposal to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages on Saturday, June 1. Gili Roman, a relative of a hostage named Carmel, told the Associated Press that they want all hostages to return alive to Israel as soon as possible. She, whose sister Yarden was also abducted during Hamas's attack on Gaza on October 7 and was freed during U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian mediation last fall, added, "This may be the last chance to save the lives of [the hostages]. Therefore, the current situation must change, and we expect everyone to immediately adhere to Biden's request to accept the agreement on the table. There is no other way to a better situation for all." Joe Biden stated in a speech on Friday, June 1, that Israel has presented a new comprehensive proposal that has been conveyed to Hamas through Qatar, outlining a roadmap for a sustainable ceasefire and the release of all hostages. The U.S. President said 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 residential areas in Gaza, and several 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 first phase, 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 said that during these six weeks, Israel and Hamas, with the help of the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, will negotiate the necessary arrangements to enter the second phase and end hostilities permanently. According to the Israeli proposal, 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 Israeli proposal, the U.S. President stated that in this phase, the reconstruction of Gaza will begin, and the bodies of the remaining deceased Israeli hostages will be returned to their families. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a day after Biden's speech that a permanent ceasefire would not be established until three conditions are met: the destruction of Hamas's military and governmental capabilities, the release of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza is not a threat to Israel. Hamas has welcomed the U.S. President's plan. Many families of hostages believe that the "unwillingness" of Netanyahu's government to reach an agreement with Hamas is one of the reasons for the deaths of some hostages in Gaza. Sharon Lifshitz, whose mother, Yocheved, was freed during last fall's agreement and whose father, Oded, is still held captive by Hamas, told the Associated Press, "We know that the Israeli government has made a significant effort to delay reaching an agreement, which has cost the lives of many hostages who were still alive weeks and months after their abduction." Following Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of over 250 others, Israel launched an assault on Gaza aimed at destroying this Iran-backed group and retrieving the hostages. During negotiations mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt last fall, over 100 abducted hostages were released, but more than 120 Israeli hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza, with Israel believing that at least 100 of them are still alive. Hamas officials, who are backed by the Islamic Republic, have repeatedly emphasized since the October 7 terrorist attack that they will carry out similar attacks if able. Hamas claims that over 36,000 Palestinian residents of Gaza have been killed without mentioning the number of its members killed as a result of Israel's assault on Gaza. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields. The Persian section of Voice of America cannot independently verify or confirm the figures provided by Hamas. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.