The agreement proposed by the American President, based on an Israeli initiative, comprises three phases of forty days each. Hamas has reacted favourably to this proposal, which has also attracted the attention of the international community

The plan involves transforming a temporary ceasefire into a lasting peace in Gaza over a period of three phases, detailed on Friday by Joe Biden, to put an end to almost eight months of conflict.

The American President announced that the plan had been sent to Hamas on Thursday. A senior American official referred to a ‘detailed agreement of four and a half pages’, which the Palestinian movement was prepared to accept with a few ‘minor adjustments’.

Phase 1 The first phase establishes a total ceasefire for six weeks, with an Israeli withdrawal from densely populated areas of Gaza. Some Israeli hostages, in particular women, the elderly, the wounded and the sick, will be released, and some bodies returned to their families. The last American hostages will return home. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be released. The truce will allow displaced Palestinians in northern Gaza to return. Humanitarian aid will increase sharply, reaching 600 truckloads per day.

Phase 2 The details of this phase will be negotiated during the first six-week ceasefire. Hostilities will not resume while discussions continue. If negotiations are successful, the fighting will cease for good and all Israelis detained in Gaza, including soldiers, will return home. Israeli forces will withdraw completely from the territory. Each phase of the plan is expected to last around forty days.

Phase 3 A vast reconstruction plan for Gaza will be launched with the support of the United States and the international community, including the construction of hospitals, schools and housing. According to a senior US official, it will take 3 to 5 years to rebuild Gaza. Every measure will be taken to prevent Hamas from rebuilding its military capabilities, with the help of regional partners. The last remains of Israeli hostages will be returned to their families.

Reactions to the plan Hamas has described Joe Biden’s initiative for a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, reconstruction and the exchange of prisoners as ‘positive’. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office reaffirmed the desire to return the hostages as quickly as possible, while stressing that the war would not end until all the objectives had been achieved, in particular the return of all the hostages and the elimination of Hamas’s military capabilities.

In Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his support for the agreement, saying that ‘the war in Gaza must end’ and backing the US proposal to work for peace and move towards a two-state solution. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also welcomed the plan, saying it offered ‘a real opportunity’ to end the war.