The families of the eight American hostages being held captive by Hamas in Gaza on Friday commended US President Joe Biden for "boldly declaring that the time for a deal is now" in his White House speech, in which he laid out a three-phase outline for a ceasefire and a hostage release deal.
“After 238 days since Hamas’s attack on Israel, its massacre of more than 1,200 people, among them 44 Americans, and the abduction of our loved ones, the world must now take every necessary step to end this brutal war and bring all the 125 hostages home from Gaza, including our family members," the families said in a statement.
"As the President emphasized, we cannot let this moment pass," they added. "It is imperative that the US, together with those countries whose citizens are held hostage by Hamas and all well-intended people, follow the US's lead to apply maximum pressure on Hamas and the Government of Israel to accept this deal."
"Now is the time for all of us – governments, NGOs, celebrities, and concerned citizens everywhere – to use our voices and demand a deal before it is too late," the statement concluded.
According to the proposal outlined by Biden, the first phase of the three-phase process would last for six weeks and would include a full and complete ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly, and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian Arab prisoners.
Phase two would see the release of all remaining living hostages, while phase three would encompass "a major reconstruction plan for Gaza," said the President, as well as the repatriation of the remains of deceased hostages to their families.
Responding to Biden’s speech, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said, “The Government of Israel is united in its desire to return the hostages as soon as possible and is working to achieve this goal.”
“The Prime Minister authorized the negotiating team to present a proposal to that end, which would also enable Israel to continue the war until all its objectives are achieved, including the destruction of Hamas's military and governing capabilities.”
“The actual proposal put forward by Israel, including the conditional transition from one phase to the next, allows Israel to uphold these principles,” the statement said.
Hamas, meanwhile, said it viewed the proposal presented by Biden “positively”.
"The movement affirms its position of readiness to deal positively and constructively with any proposal based on a permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction, the return of the displaced to all their places of residence, and the completion of a serious prisoner exchange deal if the occupation declares its explicit commitment to that," Hamas said.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)