Ending the Gaza war: Three phase proposal
PHASE ONE
- It would begin with a six-week ceasefire, during which the IDF would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza
- Hamas would release “a number” of hostages - including women, the elderly and the wounded - in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Some remains of dead Israeli hostages would be returned to their families
- Palestinian civilians would return to their homes in all areas of Gaza
- Humanitarian assistance would “surge”, with 600 trucks a day entering the strip, and hundreds of thousands of temporary housing units sent by the international community
During that six week period, negotiations mediated by the US and Qatar would continue. If successful, the next part of the plan would begin.
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Hamas accepted Israel’s ceasefire offer and Israel refused to go through with it. (Yes, I know Egypt allegedly made changes but that doesn’t change the fact that Netanyahu stonewalled.) Biden had said for weeks this was an excellent offer and that Hamas would be stupid not to take it and Hamas was being unreasonable (even though it was not a fair offer to Palestinians), and Biden went silent and refused to criticize Netanyahu for rejecting a good offer that would return all hostages.