A Small Pinprick of Light

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Israel agreed to US President Joe Biden’s plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip, according to a senior aide of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an announcement that comes amid international and domestic pressure to end the eight-month-long war in Gaza, NBC News reported.

Netanyahu’s chief foreign policy adviser, Ophir Falk, said in an interview over the weekend that Israel was not rejecting a three-part plan that would lead to a complete ceasefire in Gaza and see the release of all hostages taken there following Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7.

However, he added that it was “not a good deal.”

Falk’s comments came days after Biden claimed Friday that Israel proposed the plan – even though the deal is yet to be finalized and Israel’s official position on the agreement remains unclear.

Initially, Netanyahu appeared to undermine the plan, saying that a permanent ceasefire is a “non-starter” until Israel’s long-standing conditions are met: Destroying Hamas’ military and governance capabilities, freeing all the hostages, and ensuring Gaza no longer poses a threat.

Observers said the US proposal shifts from the total destruction of Hamas to significantly degrading its capabilities to prevent large-scale attacks on Israel.

The plan’s first phase includes a six-week ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the release of women and children held hostage. The second part of the agreement envisions the release of all living hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, which will then be followed by extensive reconstruction in Gaza and the return of deceased hostages as part of the final phase.

The proposed deal received international support, including from Qatar, Egypt and the US, which have been mediating the talks and called on Hamas and Israel to finalize the agreement, the Voice of America added.

A Hamas official also claimed that the group “views positively what was included in US President Joe Biden’s speech.”

However, far-right factions in Netanyahu’s ruling coalition reacted strongly to Biden’s proposal: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir both threatened to leave the government if Netanyahu agreed to the plan, denouncing it as a “victory for terrorism” and “absolute defeat,” the Telegraph noted.

In contrast, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu’s coalition partners and pledged support to the prime minister if he accepts the deal, advocating for national security over coalition pressures.

Meanwhile, public pressure within Israel is mounting for a ceasefire: More than 120,000 people demonstrated in Tel Aviv and other cities over the weekend urging the government to accept a ceasefire and bring the hostages home. They also called on Netanyahu to resign and for early elections, the Times of Israel reported.