Friday’s comments were Biden’s first public comments on the war since an Israeli attack and subsequent fire on Sunday killed at least 45 people, including children, and injured 249 at a camp for displaced people, according to U.S. health officials. Loop. A visual analysis by The New York Times found that Israel used American-made bombs in the attack, forcing the White House to confront difficult questions about American responsibility for the rising death toll.
Biden said Friday that he saw the “terrible images” of the deadly fire.
“The Palestinian people have endured true hell in this war,” Biden said after describing the pain of those whose family members were “massacred by Hamas terrorists on October 7” and the “anguish” of Israeli families awaiting release of the hostages. .
Biden also said that too many innocent people had been killed in Gaza, “including thousands of children,” and addressed the many Americans who are enraged by the way his administration has handled the conflict.
“I know this is an issue about which the people of this country have deep and passionate convictions,” Biden added. “Me too. This has been one of the most difficult and complicated problems in the world. There is nothing easy about this.”
Describing the four-and-a-half-page Israeli proposal, Biden said it would be divided into three phases. The first would begin with a roughly six-week ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza and the release of elderly and female hostages held by Hamas, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees. Biden said there were still details that needed to be negotiated to move to the next phase, including apparently how many Palestinians would be freed in exchange for each freed Israeli hostage.
In the second phase, as described by a senior administration official who briefed reporters after Biden spoke, all remaining Israeli hostages would be freed, including male soldiers. All hostilities would end and, the official said, all Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. In the past, Netanyahu has publicly rejected a complete withdrawal, maintaining that it would lead to a resurgence of Hamas once again in control of the territory.
It is unclear, based on the description given to reporters at the briefing, who would govern the territory, although the United States has said in the past that it would most likely be the Palestinian Authority, which has had difficulty governing the West Bank.
In the third phase, the remains of the hostages who have died would be exchanged, the rubble would be cleared and a three- to five-year reconstruction period would begin, supported by the United States, Europe and international institutions. But that plan seemed almost aspirational, given the level of destruction and near-famine conditions.
Biden, however, described this roadmap as reasonable, if the terrorist group accepts it. “As long as Hamas follows through on its commitments, a temporary ceasefire will become, in the words of the Israeli proposal, a permanent cessation of hostilities,” Biden said.
American officials said they believed that after the meeting in Paris last weekend between William J. Burns, director of the CIA, and David Barnea, head of the Israeli spy agency Mossad, Israel made significant concessions in the talks on hostages. These included reducing the number of live hostages to be released in the initial phase.
Still, a person briefed on the matter said negotiations were “on hold” while Israel carries out its operation in Rafah.
Biden has also been involved in the hostage talks, although he has not traveled for any of the negotiating sessions. Biden’s role, officials said, has been most notable in the pressure he has put on Netanyahu to continue negotiating and reduce Israeli demands.
But on Friday, Biden was clearly focusing his pressure on Hamas, arguing that accepting this offer was his best chance to end the war and move toward a ceasefire.
“Everyone who wants peace now must speak out,” Biden said, adding that the public should let Hamas leaders know that they must accept this deal. “Work to make it happen, make it last, and build a better future out of the tragic terrorist attack and war.”
Aaron Boxerman contributed reports from Jerusalem, and Julian E. Barnes from Washington.