The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Tel Aviv has agreed to accept 33 hostages, whether alive or deceased, in the first phase and to conclude the war in the second phase. According to the official body, a political source from Israel confirmed that "the negotiations are based on the premise that their conclusion will lead to the destruction of Hamas's capabilities."
Earlier, an Israeli political official stated that Tel Aviv accepts most of the details of the new proposal presented by U.S. President Joe Biden, but it will retain the right to resume fighting if Hamas breaches its commitments. The source, in a statement to the Hebrew newspaper "Maariv," noted that Israel's conditions for ending the war remain unchanged, which include the destruction of Hamas's military and governmental capabilities, the release of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel.
The official stated that the hostage release plan must allow Israel to demand the fulfillment of all these conditions before a permanent ceasefire can take effect. The diplomatic source also indicated that the plan must lead to the release of all 125 hostages, starting with a humanitarian phase involving a temporary halt to hostilities to facilitate the release of dozens of women, adults, and urgent humanitarian cases, during which negotiations would take place to reach an agreement for the release of all hostages and other victims, transitioning to a permanent ceasefire.
The magazine "Al-Majalla" published details of a three-phase roadmap concerning Gaza, which includes a 10-hour daily halt to military flights over Gaza in the first phase, during which Hamas would release 33 of the Israeli detainees. The details indicate that Israel would release 30 prisoners for each hostage according to lists provided by Hamas under the plan. The Gaza roadmap ensures flexibility regarding the number of individuals to be released in the first phase.
The first phase stipulates the withdrawal of Israeli forces eastward away from populated areas, while the reconstruction of Gaza will take place over 3 to 5 years as part of the third phase of the roadmap. The "roadmap" includes a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israel from Gaza, and the reconstruction of the sector over 3–5 years under the auspices of Egypt, the United States, Qatar, and the United Nations.
Israel made only slight adjustments to the draft agreement, incorporating "flexibility" in the number of living hostages to be released in the first phase. A partially revised version was sent to Egypt and Qatar, but Hamas stated that it had not received it, arguing that "the aftermath of the Israeli operation in Rafah differs from the previous phase," noting that it had only last-minute approved the plan dated May 5. Officials in the movement also pointed out that there are new soldiers with Hamas who were captured last week in Jabalia, northern Gaza.
President Joe Biden revealed details of a new proposal that Israel presented for ending the war in Gaza, which is structured into three phases and includes a permanent ceasefire. Biden stated in a speech regarding the Middle East that the first phase of the proposal lasts for six weeks and involves a complete ceasefire, enabling displaced persons to return to their homes after Israeli forces withdraw from residential areas.
During the first phase, "Israel negotiates with Hamas to reach the second phase, which will see a permanent end to hostilities and the exchange of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces," according to Biden. He added, "In the third phase, there will be a grand reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip."
A senior Biden administration official noted that the new proposal concerning Gaza was presented to Hamas yesterday, indicating that it closely resembles what Hamas had proposed weeks ago, with each phase of the Gaza proposal extending for six weeks. An Israeli official stated to Channel 12 that Biden does not understand the reality on the ground and that his speech was weak, claiming it represents a victory for Hamas.
In turn, Netanyahu's office stated that the conditional ceasefire proposal from one phase to another allows Israel to maintain its goals, namely that the war will not end until all detainees are returned and Hamas is eliminated, emphasizing that the Prime Minister is determined that the war will not end until all objectives are fully achieved and has tasked the negotiation team with presenting the outlines for the return of the hostages, noting that the government is united in seeking to recover the hostages as soon as possible.
Biden added, "With the ceasefire, assistance can be distributed safely and effectively to all who need it." He continued, "As someone who has had a long-standing commitment to Israel, as the only American president who has visited Israel during wartime, and as someone who sent American forces to directly defend Israel when it was attacked by Iran, I ask you to pause and consider what will happen if this moment is lost. We cannot afford to waste this moment."
