Israel accepts US ceasefire proposal in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Blinken said Israel has accepted the US proposal for an additional ceasefire in Gaza.
According to RIA Novosti, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on August 19 (Washington time) that Israel had agreed to additional US proposals for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the additional proposals, and we expect Hamas to do the same," said U.S. Secretary of State Blinken.
According to Blinken, the draft ceasefire agreement in Gaza reflects proposals put forward by US President Joe Biden in May and involves ending hostilities in stages.
The US Secretary of State said the initial ceasefire agreement would last six months, including prisoner releases and exchanges, as well as the start of negotiations on the terms of a full ceasefire.
On August 15, the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, proposed a ceasefire with Israel and Hamas, easing the differences between the parties. In a joint statement, the three countries said their initiative was based on principles set out by President Biden in late May and UN Security Council Resolution 2735.
The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip comprises three phases.
The first part included a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from densely populated areas in Gaza, the release of hostages held by Hamas, and the exchange of detained Palestinians.
The second phase involved an indefinite cessation of hostilities in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages, as well as the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from Gaza.
The third phase involves initiating a “multi-year restoration plan” for the area.
