U.S. National Security Council Strategic Communications Advisor John Kirby confirmed that Israel "was aware in advance of President Joe Biden's intention to disclose the details of the new ceasefire proposal," according to Al-Hurra channel. Kirby stated in a press conference that "Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz himself admitted that the ceasefire proposal in Gaza is Israeli," noting that "Biden wanted to inform the world about the details of the Israeli proposal."
He explained that "the aim of Biden revealing the Israeli proposal is to exert international pressure on Hamas and its leader Yahya Sinwar to accept it." Kirby's remarks came after Israeli media reported on statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee in the Knesset, where he stated, "I will not be prepared to stop the war. I will not discuss the details of the deal here, but what the President of the United States described is not accurate; there are other details that have not been disclosed."
Netanyahu added that "the proposal presented by Biden is partial. The war will stop for the purpose of returning hostages, and then we will continue the discussion. There are other details not presented by the American president to the public."
Kirby considered the new proposal as an "extension" of previous negotiations regarding the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. He stated, "The ball is now in Hamas's court to accept the Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza," adding that "Biden did not say that Israel should not continue to address the threat from Hamas. Our military assessment is that Hamas is no longer capable of repeating attacks similar to those of October 7."
He continued, "There is flexibility in the plan for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from residential areas in Gaza, according to the first phase of the ceasefire proposal." Kirby had asserted on Sunday that if Hamas agrees to the deal to end the war in Gaza, the United States expects Israel to accept the plan as well. In an interview with ABC News, Kirby said, "This was an Israeli proposal. We have every expectation that if Hamas agrees to the proposal - as it was conveyed to them, which is an Israeli proposal - Israel will say yes."
