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Biden Outlines New Gaza ‘Ceasefire’ Plan That Would Seemingly Leave Hamas Intact
US President Joe Biden at the White House, Washington, DC, May 31, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US President Joe Biden on Friday outlined the details of a new plan to conclude the Israel-Hamas war that would seemingly leave the Palestinian terrorist group in control of the Gaza Strip.
Delivering a speech from the White House, Biden gave updates on his administration’s efforts to end the war in Gaza, laying out a proposed multi-phase plan that, in his words, would result in a “permanent cessation of hostilities” between the Jewish state and Hamas, which launched the war by invading southern Israel, murdering 1,200 people, and abducting over 250 hostages on Oct. 7.
Biden explained that his administration has engaged in “intensive diplomacy” with the governments of Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and other unspecified Middle Eastern countries to hammer out the details of a potential ceasefire plan.
“Israel has offered a comprehensive new proposal. It’s a roadmap to an enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages. This proposal has been transmitted by Qatar to Hamas,” Biden said.
Israel’s proposal consists of three phases, Biden said. The first phase would last six weeks and include a “full and complete ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas and the “withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza.” The first phase would also include the “release of a number of hostages” in exchange for “the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.”
The remains of killed hostages would also be returned to Israeli families, and Palestinian civilians would “return to their homes” within all areas of Gaza. Biden added that humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip “would surge, with 600 trucks carrying aid into Gaza every single day.” In addition, the president promised that “hundreds of thousands of temporary shelters” would be erected for Gazan refugees.
During this six-week period, Israel and Hamas would negotiate the “necessary arrangements” in order to transition to the second phase and a “permanent end” to the war, Biden explained. The negotiations during this transitional period would include measures to ensure Israel’s security. As long as negotiations continue, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas would remain, Biden said.
The second phase of the proposal would guarantee the release of all “remaining living hostages” and the removal of all Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel would promise the “permanent cessation of hostilities” if Hamas abides by the proposal, Biden claimed.
The third phase consists of a “major reconstruction” of the war-torn enclave and the delivery of the final batches of dead hostages’ remains back to Israeli families.
Biden assured that Israel can make this offer to Hamas without an unnecessary risk to their security “because they’ve devastated Hamas forces over the past eight months.” He asserted that Israel’s military operations have rendered Hamas “no longer capable of carrying out another Oct. 7.” Israel would be allowed to continue with its war effort if Hamas breaks the terms of the agreement, Biden stipulated.
Biden added that a coalition consisting of Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Middle Eastern countries, and the international community would work together to rebuild Gaza “in a manner that does not allow Hamas to rearm.”
“I know that there are those in Israel who will not agree with this plan and will call for the war to continue indefinitely,” he continued. “Some are even in the government coalition, and they’ve made it clear they want to occupy Gaza. They want to keep fighting for years, and hostages are not a priority for them.”
Israeli officials across the political aisle have consistently said that freeing the hostages kidnapped on Oct. 7 is a top priority of their military campaign in Gaza, along with incapacitating Hamas to the point that it can no longer pose a threat to the Israeli people.
Notably, toward the beginning of his remarks, Biden said the plan his foreign policy team negotiated would ensure a Gaza “without Hamas in power.” It’s unclear how that would work if a disarmed version of the terrorist group is allowed to remain the governing body of Gaza. Israel has also repeatedly asserted that Hamas will not be allowed to retain power within Gaza following its Oct. 7 slaughter, which Hamas leaders have promised to carry out “again and again.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement following Biden’s speech, vowing not to end the war until Israel has achieved the “elimination of Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities” — seemingly opposing the idea of allowing Hamas to remain in power.
“The government of Israel is united in its desire to return the hostages as soon as possible and is working to achieve this goal,” the statement said. “The prime minister authorized the negotiating team to present a proposal to that end, which would also enable Israel to continue the war until all its objectives are achieved, including the destruction of Hamas’ military and governing capabilities. The actual proposal put forward by Israel, including the conditional transition from one phase to the next, allows Israel to uphold these principles.”
During his address, Biden claimed that if Israel did not accept the deal and continued the war effort, the Jewish state could find itself “bogged down in Gaza” for the long-term. The president warned that this could potentially drain the economic, military, and human resources” of Israel along with solidifying the Jewish state’s “isolation” in the broader international community.
Biden also stated that the end of the Israel-Hamas war could pave the way for a “normalization agreement” between the Jewish state and Saudi Arabia, adding that such an arrangement would allow Israel and the broader region to effectively combat any threats from Iran.
“It’s time for this war to end, and the day after to begin,” Biden said.
Biden’s press conference came one day after Hamas outlined a ceasefire proposal with terms Israel found unacceptable. Hamas said Thursday that it would refuse to negotiate a release of hostages until Israel unilaterally withdrew its forces. Israeli officials have said any deal must include the release of hostages before they halt their military campaign.
On Friday, Hamas released a statement following Biden’s remarks, praising the plan outlined in his speech and claiming the terror group is willing to work with Israel “constructively” to work toward a ceasefire.
“The movement affirms its position of readiness to deal positively and constructively with any proposal based on a permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction, the return of the displaced to all their places of residence, and the completion of a serious prisoner exchange deal if the occupation declares its explicit commitment to that,” Hamas said.
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Washington Warns UK, France Against Recognizing Palestinian Statehood
Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy leaves Downing Street, following the results of the election, in London, Britain, July 5, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Toby Melville
i24 News – The United States has warned the UK and France not to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state at a UN conference scheduled for June 17 in New York, the Middle East Eye reported Tuesday.
France and Saudi Arabia will co-host this conference on the two-state solution, with Paris reportedly preparing to unilaterally recognize Palestine. France is also pressuring London to follow this path, according to sources from the British Foreign Office.
French media reports indicate that French authorities believe they have the agreement of the British government. Meanwhile, Arab states are encouraging this move, measuring the success of the conference by the recognitions obtained.
This initiative deeply divides Western allies. If France and the UK were to carry out this recognition, they would become the first G7 nations to take this step, causing a “political earthquake” according to observers, given their historical ties with Israel. The Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer threatened last week to annex parts of the West Bank if this recognition took place, according to a report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
In the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary David Lammy publicly opposes unilateral recognition, stating that London would only recognize a Palestinian state when we know that it is going to happen and that it is in view.
However, pressure is mounting within the Labour Party. MP Uma Kumaran, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the government was elected on a platform that promised to recognize Palestine as a step towards a just and lasting peace. Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, believes that there is no legitimate reason for the United States to interfere in a sovereign decision of recognition, while highlighting the unpredictability of US President Donald Trump on this issue.
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Police, Shin Bet Thwart Suspected Iranian Attempt Perpetrate Terror Attack
A small number of Jewish worshipers pray during the priestly blessing, a traditional prayer which usually attracts thousands of worshipers at the Western Wall on the holiday of Passover during 2020, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Jerusalem’s Old City, April 12, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Ronen Zvulun.
i24 News – The Shin Bet security agency and Israel Police thwarted another Iranian attempt to recruit Israelis, according to a statement on Tuesday, arresting a resident of East Jerusalem for allegedly carrying out missions for the Islamic Republic.
Iranian agents recruited the suspect, who in turn recruited members of his family. He is a resident of the Isawiya neighborhood in his 30s, and is accused of maintaining contact with a hostile foreign entity to harm the state by carrying out a terrorist attack against Jews.
The suspect had already begun perpetrating acts of sabotage and espionage, including collecting intelligence about areas in Jerusalem, including the Western Wall and Mahane Yehuda Market. He also hung signs, burned Israeli army uniforms, and more in exchange for payment totaling thousands of shekels.
He was also charged with planning a terror attack in central Israel, including setting fire to a forest, and was told to transfer weapons to terrorist elements in the West Bank.
The suspect’s sought the help of family members, including his mother. A search at his home revealed sums of cash, a spray can used in some of his activities, airsoft guns, suspected illegal drugs, and more.
His indictment is expected to be filed by the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office.
The statement said that the case is yet another example of Iranian efforts to recruit Israelis. “We will continue to coordinate efforts to thwart terrorism and terrorist elements, including those operating outside Israel, while attempting to mobilize local elements in order to protect the citizens of the State of Israel,” the Shin Bet and Police said.
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Pro-Russian, Anti-Israeli Hackers Pose Biggest Cybercrime Threats in Germany
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt holds a chart showing the development of antisemitic crime, during a press conference on Figures for Politically Motivated Crime in the Country, in Berlin, Germany, May 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
Cybercrime in Germany rose to a record level last year, driven by hacker attacks from pro-Russian and anti-Israeli groups, the BKA Federal Crime Office reported on Tuesday as the government said it would boost countermeasures to combat it.
“Cybercrime is an increasing threat to our security,” said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. “It is getting more aggressive but our counter-strategies are also becoming more professional,” he said.
Some 131,391 cases of cybercrime took place in Germany last year and a further 201,877 cases were committed from abroad or an unknown location, a BKA report said.
The actors behind the hacker attacks on German targets were primarily either pro-Russian or anti-Israeli, said the BKA, adding targets were mostly public and federal institutions.
Ransomware, when criminals copy and encrypt data, is one of the main threats, said the BKA, with 950 companies and institutes reporting cases in 2024.
German digital association Bitkom said damage caused by cyberattacks here totaled 178.6 billion euros ($203.87 billion) last year, some 30.4 billion euros more than in the previous year.
Dobrindt said the government planned to extend the legal capabilities authorities could use to combat cybercrime and set higher security standards for companies.
The post Pro-Russian, Anti-Israeli Hackers Pose Biggest Cybercrime Threats in Germany first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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