Extract from ABC News
US President Joe Biden has outlined a new ceasefire proposal from Israel and has called on Hamas to accept it, saying agreeing to the deal is the best way to begin winding down the deadly conflict.
The president outlined the three phases of the proposal in an address on Friday afternoon from the White House.
He said the first phase would last six weeks and include:
a "full and complete ceasefire"
Israeli forces withdrawing "from all populated areas of Gaza"
the release of a number of hostages, including women, the injured and the elderly
hundreds of Palestinian prisoners being released, in exchange for the hostages
Mr Biden said a ceasefire would allow 600 trucks of aid to enter Gaza every day.
"With a ceasefire, that aid could be safely and effectively distributed to all who need it," he said.
The second phase would see "the cessation of hostilities permanently" in exchange for all remaining living hostages held by Hamas.
The third phase would see the remains of deceased hostages returned to Israel.
The US president urged those in Israel who do not support a ceasefire to back the deal.
"As someone who's had a lifelong commitment to Israel, as the only American president who has ever gone to Israel at a time of war, as someone who just sent the US forces to directly defend Israel when it was attacked by Iran, I ask you to take a step back, think what will happen if this moment is lost," he said.
"We can't lose this moment."
An earlier hostage proposal put forward earlier this year called for the release of sick, elderly and wounded hostages in Gaza in exchange for a six-week ceasefire that could be extended to allow for more humanitarian aid to be delivered into the enclave.
The proposed deal fell apart earlier this month after Israel refused to agree to a permanent end to the war as part of the negotiations and ramped up an assault on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.
On Thursday Hamas told mediators it would not take part in more negotiations during ongoing aggression but was ready for a "complete agreement," including an exchange of hostages and prisoners if Israel stopped the war.
Talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and others to arrange a ceasefire between Israel and the Islamist movement in the Gaza war have repeatedly stalled, with both sides blaming the other for the lack of progress.
On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza would not end until the "elimination" of Hamas' capacity to govern and make war, after Mr Biden said Israel had offered a new peace plan.
"The prime minister authorised the negotiating team to present an outline for achieving [the return of hostages], while insisting that the war will not end until all of its goals are achieved, including the return of all our hostages and the elimination of Hamas' military and governmental capabilities," Mr Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
"The exact outline proposed by Israel, including the conditional transition from stage to stage, allows Israel to maintain these principles," it added.
ABC/wires
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