The Israeli proposal announced by US President Joe Biden on Friday, with the aim of a ceasefire in Gaza, was welcomed by the United Nations, the European Commission and the European Union. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, said: “We have witnessed a lot of suffering and destruction in Gaza and it is time to stop,” announcing in a post on the X platform that he welcomes Biden’s initiative and encourages all parties to seize this opportunity for a “ceasefire in Gaza.”

In the same regard, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the “realistic” Israeli road map with the goal of a ceasefire in Gaza, which President Joe Biden announced on Friday, considering that it provides a “real opportunity” to end the war that has been going on for more than seven months. Biden had revealed in his speech, on Friday, that Israel had presented a new three-stage proposal to end the war on Gaza, explaining that the proposal was a road map for a ceasefire and the release of detainees. The proposal also included the return of Palestinians in Gaza to their homes.

“I completely agree with Biden that the latest proposal provides a real opportunity to move toward ending the war and civilian suffering in Gaza,” von der Leyen said on social media. “This three-stage approach is balanced and realistic and now requires the support of all parties.”

In turn, European Union foreign policy official Josep Borrell announced on Friday evening his support for a road map announced by Biden with the aim of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of detainees and the reconstruction of the Strip. In a post on the "The war must end now," Borrell stressed.

Germany sees a "glimmer of hope" in Biden's proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza

In turn, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock welcomed the new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire and war in Gaza, which was announced by US President Joe Biden on Friday, and saw in it a “ray of hope” for ending the war. Baerbock said on the X platform that this proposal “offers a glimmer of hope and a possible path out of the war impasse.”

Regarding the details of the Israeli proposal aimed at a ceasefire in Gaza, Biden said that the proposal includes stopping “hostilities” for a period of 6 weeks in the first phase. The second phase of the proposal includes the exchange of live prisoners, including Israeli soldiers. While the third phase focuses on the form of reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

The first phase also includes “the release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly, and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners” in Israeli prisons. Biden indicated that the second phase includes “releasing the remaining hostages and soldiers and maintaining the ceasefire, while the third phase includes the post-war and reconstruction of Gaza,” calling on all parties to agree to the proposal. He said, "Hamas' rejection of the new Israeli proposal will mean that Israel will continue the war in Gaza."

Reuters quoted a senior US administration official as saying, on Friday, that the new proposal regarding a ceasefire in Gaza was presented to the Hamas movement, the day before yesterday, Thursday, explaining that each stage of the Gaza proposal extends for about 42 days, adding that the new proposal Regarding the ceasefire in Gaza, it is almost identical to what Hamas proposed weeks ago.

In response to Biden's statements, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the latter "insists on not ending the war on the Gaza Strip until all its goals are achieved." However, Netanyahu tasked the negotiating delegation with presenting “broad outlines” for the return of prisoners detained in Gaza, according to a statement from his office. The statement claimed that "the government is united in its desire to return the abductees (prisoners in Gaza) as soon as possible and is working to achieve this goal."

He continued: "The precise broad lines proposed by Israel allow for a conditional transition from one stage to another in a way that preserves our principles," without providing any further clarifications in this regard. While the statement from Netanyahu's office did not mention Biden's speech by name, Israeli Occupation Army Radio (official) said that the statement "came in response to Biden's statements."

On the other hand, the Palestinian Resistance Movement (Hamas) announced, in a statement, that it viewed “positively” what was included in US President Joe Biden’s speech, including his call for a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction, and an exchange of prisoners. The movement considered This American position and the conviction that has been established on the regional and international scene of the necessity of putting an end to the war on Gaza “is the product of the legendary steadfastness and resistance of the Palestinian people.”

In its statement, the movement affirmed 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.”