Biden expressed his belief that the agreement will bring long-term peace to the volatile region of the Middle East.
“Hostages will soon be returned to their families,” he said.
The agreement includes a full ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of all hostages held by Hamas. In exchange, Israel will release Palestinian prisoners, he added.
Biden noted that during the first phase of the ceasefire, Palestinians will be able to return to their homes in their neighborhoods, and humanitarian aid to Gaza will be increased.
He also mentioned that Israel and Hamas would negotiate necessary agreements in the second phase to achieve a permanent end to the conflict. If the negotiations extend beyond six weeks, the ceasefire will continue.
In the third phase, Biden said, the remaining hostages will be returned to their families, and a reconstruction plan for Gaza will commence. He described the path to this agreement as challenging, calling it one of the most difficult negotiations he has ever witnessed.
Biden also stated that Iran is weaker than it has been in decades, and Hezbollah – the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon – has been “severely degraded.”
Finally, Biden expressed satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement, emphasizing that many Israeli hostages would soon be reunited with their families, and life in Gaza would normalize. “Gaza without Hamas will be better,” he concluded.
