Israel: Relatives of hostages ask for a ceasefire from Joe Biden

Relatives of Israeli hostages captured by Hamas called on all parties to immediately accept US President Joe Biden’s proposal to end the almost eight months of war in the Gaza Strip and the return of captives, but Israel’s government said conditions for a ceasefire have not yet been met.

Biden on Friday detailed a three-phase agreement proposed by Israel to Hamas and added that the insurgent group “is no longer capable” to launch another large-scale attack against Israel. Additionally, he urged the two sides to reach an agreement for the handover of the remaining around 100 hostages, and the remains of another 30, in exchange for a prolonged ceasefire.

Truce talks were suspended last month following efforts by Washington and other mediators to reach a deal to prevent the Israeli invasion of the city of Rafah, at the southern end of the besieged enclave. Israel maintains that the operation Rafah is vital to eradicating the fighters of Hamas responsible for the October 7 incursion in the south of the country that unleashed the war.

Israel confirmed on Friday that its troops were operating in the city center. The ground offensive has caused the exodus of nearly a million Palestinians from the city and disrupted United Nations humanitarian operations in the area.

After the speech of Bidenthe hostages’ families said Saturday that time was running out and that both sides had a responsibility to accept the proposal.

“We want people to come back from Loop alive and soon“Gili Roman told The Associated Press. Her sister, Yarden Roman-Gat, was freed during a week-long ceasefire in November, but Yarden’s sister-in-law, Carmel, remains held.

“This may be the last chance to save lives. Therefore, the current situation must be changed and we hope that everyone will adhere to the call of Biden to accept the agreement that is on the table, immediately. There is no other path to a better situation for everyone. Our leaders must not let us down. But above all, all eyes must be on Hamas”he added.

The proposal of Biden It came after the families of the hostages held what they described as an aggressive meeting on Thursday with the advisor of israeli national securityTzachi Hanegbi, who told them that the government was not ready to sign an agreement for the return of all captives and that there was no alternative plan.

Hanegbi noted this week that he expects the war to last another seven months to destroy the military and governance capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, a smaller insurgent group.

Netanyahu has promised a “total victory” that, apart from Hamas from power, dismantle its military structure and take the hostages back to Israel. The government said Saturday that its conditions for ending the war had not changed and that establishing a permanent ceasefire before the conditions are met is “impossible.”

Many families of hostages blame the government’s lack of will to close an agreement for the deaths of many hostages during their captivity.

Biden detailed that the first phase of the proposed agreement will last six weeks and will include a “total and complete ceasefire”, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all inhabited areas of Gaza and the release of several hostages — including women, the elderly and the wounded — in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails.

At this stage, the American hostages will be released, the remains of the deceased will be delivered to their families and humanitarian aid will be increased by allowing 600 trucks a day to enter the territory.

The second phase includes the release of all hostages still alive, including male soldiers, and the departure of the Israeli forces from Gaza. In the third, large-scale reconstruction of the enclave will begin, which could last decades. Biden acknowledged that the pact will be difficult to maintain and that there are several “details to negotiate” to move from the first to the second phase.

Meanwhile, the fighting in Loop they continued

The Israeli army said Saturday that it killed a fighter from Hamas responsible for directing attacks on Israel and West Bank. At the beginning of the week, he reported that his aircraft killed a fighter from the group in the center of the territory who was the head of the technology department of the internal security forces.

The Israeli campaign in the Palestinian coastal territory has claimed the lives of more than 36,170 Palestinians in the past eight months, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilian victims and combatants.