Israeli media claims agreement reached with Hamas

According to the source, the proposal announced by US President Joe Biden for the first 42-day phase includes "the release of hostages, whether alive or dead, including soldiers, women, and adults."

The hostages will be released in groups over 6 weeks, at the end of which negotiations will begin between Israel and Hamas regarding a permanent ceasefire—that is, the end of the war—followed by the transition to the second phase of the agreement.

According to the Israeli source, in the second phase, all remaining hostages, including soldiers and men, will be released, but this will not occur unless there is an agreement between the two sides to completely stop the war. In the third phase, the bodies of all deceased hostages will be returned.

WHAT HAPPENED?

In his speech at the White House on May 31, Biden stated that Israel had presented a new three-phase ceasefire proposal, noting that the first phase envisioned a 6-week ceasefire, Israel's withdrawal from residential areas in Gaza, and the release of a portion of the hostages held by the parties.

Biden stated that in the second phase, where negotiations for the transition to a permanent end to hostilities would be conducted, all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, would be released; Israel would withdraw from Gaza (as in the first phase); the temporary ceasefire would turn into a permanent end to hostilities; and if the parties reached an agreement on all issues in the second phase and the ceasefire became permanent, the third phase would begin, during which the reconstruction of Gaza would be on the agenda and the remaining deceased hostages held by the parties would be returned.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, had insisted that the war would continue until all objectives in the Gaza Strip were achieved.

Hamas also announced that they viewed the proposals presented by Israel and announced by US President Joe Biden regarding a "permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction, and a prisoner exchange" positively.

News Source: AA