State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Wednesday published a video to his social media account in which he outlined the three-phase plan for a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage release deal, which was unveiled by President Joe Biden last week.
Miller wrote alongside the video, “It's time for Hamas to accept the three-phase proposal President Biden outlined on Friday and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.”
In the video itself, the spokesperson said, “The only thing standing in between the people of Gaza and an immediate ceasefire is Hamas.”
Biden on Monday called for the implementation of the three-phase outline for a ceasefire and hostage release deal that he presented last week.
“We are working for a ceasefire and hostage deal that would allow the United States and our partners to begin the work to rebuild homes, schools, and hospitals in Gaza to help repair communities destroyed in the chaos of war,” he wrote on social media site X, adding, “This deal must get done.”
Biden later wrote that he had spoken to the Emir of Qatar and urged him to secure Hamas’ acceptance to the deal.
“Today I spoke with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar to discuss how the ceasefire and hostage deal offers a concrete roadmap for ending the crisis in Gaza. I urged Amir Tamim to use all appropriate measures to secure Hamas’ acceptance of the deal and thanked him and his team for their tireless efforts to secure the release of all hostages held in Gaza,” wrote Biden.
“The United States, together with Egypt and Qatar, will work to ensure the full implementation of this agreement,” he added.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held telephone conversations with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz and spoke with them about the outline presented by Biden.
In those conversations, Blinken told the two ministers that “the onus is on Hamas to accept” the deal.