President Joe Biden is advocating for an Israeli-proposed ceasefire and hostage release plan, the White House announced Monday, denying any “gaps” between his outlined plan and the proposal from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
According to The Times of Israel, Netanyahu reportedly mentioned in a closed-door meeting that there are “gaps” between Israel’s stance and the plan Biden presented last Friday, describing Biden’s version as “incomplete” and “incorrect” regarding Israeli conditions.
However, White House national security spokesman John Kirby countered this, asserting that both countries are aligned on the proposal. “I know of no gaps to speak of,” Kirby said. “We’re confident that it accurately reflects that proposal — a proposal that we worked with the Israelis on.”
The apparent disagreement centers on Israel’s insistence that the war with Hamas cannot end until Hamas’ military and civil governance capabilities are entirely dismantled, contrasted with Biden’s assertion that the Israeli military has already significantly weakened Hamas.
“On Friday, Biden stated that, at present, Hamas lacks the capability to execute another event similar to the one on October 7th, which was deemed one of Israel’s primary objectives in this conflict, and one they regarded as justified.”
Biden outlined a three-stage plan, beginning with a six-week ceasefire that could become permanent, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated Gaza areas, and the release of an unspecified number of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. American hostages and the remains of some who were killed would also be released in this phase. This would allow Palestinian civilians to return to their homes and facilitate a surge in humanitarian aid.
Biden explained, “There are various details that need negotiation to transition from phase one to phase two. Israel will understandably seek to safeguard its interests. However, the proposal stipulates that if negotiations extend beyond six weeks for phase one, the ceasefire will persist as long as negotiations are ongoing.”
Kirby mentioned that the U.S. informed Israel ahead of Biden’s remarks. “The president felt that it was important to lay it out there publicly,” Kirby explained, noting that Biden wanted the “whole world” to see the plan’s contents. This approach marks a shift for the U.S., which typically refrains from commenting on specific ceasefire proposal details. Kirby noted this decision was influenced by the prolonged hostage situation and Hamas’ past reneging on proposals.
The timing of Biden’s remarks was tied to the proposal being given to Hamas the night before, although Hamas has not officially responded.
Kirby emphasized that the U.S. aims to prevent another attack like the one Hamas carried out on Oct. 7 and does not want Hamas to control Gaza post-war. “We don’t have all the answers to all that right now,” he said. “Whatever it looks like, it cannot look like it did on the 6th of October.”