#Politics

Biden description of cease-fire offer ‘not accurate,’ Israeli official says


JERUSALEM — President Joe Biden’s description of Israel’s cease-fire proposal was “not accurate,” a senior Israeli official has told NBC News, as doubts grew Monday over the U.S. ally’s stance on the deal.

Biden said in a surprise announcement Friday that he was outlining a truce proposal that had been made by Israel and passed by mediators to Hamas. But with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing competing pressures — including a threat from right-wing ministers to bring down his government — a senior Israeli official called into question Biden’s description of the cease-fire offer.

The officially specifically disputed that Israel had agreed to fully withdraw its troops from the Gaza Strip as part of a deal to free the hostages.

“Israel has not changed its conditions to reach a permanent cease-fire. That will only happen after our objectives are met including destroying Hamas’s military and governing capabilities,” the official said.

The official also said that while the White House described the plan as originating from Israel, it was actually a proposal put forward by mediators that Israel had made amendments and changes to.

“It’s strange that they say it’s an Israeli proposal and at the same time that Israel needs to agree to it,” the official said.

The official added that Israel was awaiting Hamas’ formal response to the proposal.

 Joe Biden delivers remarks
Biden outlined the proposal in a speech at the White House on Friday. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Biden said Friday the proposal had been sent to the militants via Qatar, which has helped to broker talks for months.

A spokesperson for Hamas said the group “views positively” what was included in Biden’s speech.

Biden said that Israel had offered a “comprehensive new proposal” that would ultimately lead to a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.

The three-part plan, Biden said, would include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza and release of a number of hostages being held inside the enclave since the Oct. 7 Hamas-lead attack. The first phase of the plan would also see six weeks of a complete cease-fire.



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