The Israeli “new comprehensive proposal” for the Gaza war, announced by President Biden on Friday, is essentially a six-week ceasefire that includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated areas of Gaza, the release of most Israeli hostages, and a massive relief effort for two million exhausted and hungry Gazans. Subsequent steps — a permanent cessation of hostilities, the release of all remaining hostages, and the rebuilding of Gaza — are subject to further negotiations.
That leaves many unresolved questions ahead, all weighed down with polarized politics, hostility and unknowns. But if the plan Biden outlined on Friday is accepted by Hamas, as seems likely, a cease-fire alone would represent a major win for the United States and its mediation partners Egypt and Qatar, and provide badly needed food, medicine, shelter and hope to Gaza’s residents.
Despite deafening international outcry over the mass carnage and destruction in Gaza, including violent protests on American college campuses and arrest warrants (albeit largely demonstrative) by the International Criminal Court for top Israeli and Hamas leaders, and considerable pressure from the Biden administration, a ceasefire seemed forever out of reach.
The reasons are manifold. The Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks left many Israelis wanting to eradicate Hamas, regardless of the cost. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right nationalist government have shown little interest in ending the fighting, especially since it would lead to the demise of his fragile government and likely expose him to criminal prosecution. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has insisted that the fighting must end before any hostage release or deal with Israel can take place.
At the same time, the war was increasing political pressure on Biden, with looming threats that the conflict would spread to northern Israel and beyond, and the U.S. use of weapons against civilians in Gaza stoking growing anger among American liberals, Biden’s base in a crucial election year.
The president recognized the opposition a complete proposal would face in Israel. Responding to calls for the annihilation of Hamas, he argued that the group no longer had the capacity to carry out attacks like those of October 7. Aware that some on the Israeli right wanted a total victory, the president argued that it would not bring home the hostages, bring about the “lasting defeat” of Hamas, or “bring lasting security to Israel.”
It’s a message the president must continue to press for the six weeks that the ceasefire is expected to last, if it begins and is sustained. All the obstacles to peace still exist as negotiations move toward a permanent cessation of hostilities. And Biden acknowledged that six weeks may not be enough. But for now, any respite is welcome.
