Biden says cease-fire framework agreed to by Israel, Hamas
"Six weeks ago, I laid out a comprehensive framework for achieving a ceasefire and bringing the hostages home," Biden wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "There is still work to do, and these are complex issues, but that framework is now agreed upon by both Israel and Hamas. My team is making progress, and I'm determined to get this done."
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that there were "miles to go on a ceasefire" but that “signs are more positive today than they have been in recent weeks.”
In a Wednesday op-ed, a senior US official told the Washington Post that a framework has reportedly been agreed upon for a ceasefire-hostage release deal in Gaza.
The opinion piece indicated that it would lead to the release of some hostages and that the parties involved are negotiating the implementation of such a deal.
Other senior officials warned that although the framework for the deal exists, a final agreement "is not imminent" and that working on the details is complex and expected to take time. US officials say the agreement would be resolved in three stages.
The official claimed that part of the deal would involve an "interim governance" plan in which neither Israel nor Hamas would control Gaza. Before this new government takes control, 33 hostages would be released.
According to the official, the final stage of the deal would see the release of male IDF soldiers held captive and a complete IDF withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
Nine months into the war
The war against Hamas has now surpassed nine months, with approximately 120 hostages remaining in Hamas captivity. The war against the terror group ruling the Gaza enclave has also resulted in extensive damage.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has claimed that over 38,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its death count and has been accused of inflating the figure by several Israeli and international figures.
Israel and Hamas did not immediately confirm whether they had accepted the deal's framework.
Additionally, Biden did not explain how his statement differed from the one issued last week, which allowed talks to resume on the three-phase agreement.
US officials, including CIA Director William Burns, have been in the region all week attempting to close the deal. However, as of this morning, there are still many gaps between the two sides.