An Israeli government official has directly challenged President Joe Biden's characterization of a ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza, casting doubt on the U.S. ally's stance regarding the potential deal, according to a report from NBC News.
In a surprising announcement on Friday, Biden outlined what he described as a comprehensive truce plan that had originated from Israel and been conveyed to Hamas through mediators. However, the senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the president's depiction of the proposal was inaccurate.
Contradicting Biden's assertion that Israel had agreed to a complete withdrawal of its troops from Gaza as part of the deal, the official firmly stated, "Israel has not changed its conditions to reach a permanent ceasefire. That will only happen after our objectives are met, including destroying Hamas's military and governing capabilities."
Video: Biden announces new plan for resolving the Gaza war / Credit: White House/YouTube
The official also contested the notion that the plan was an Israeli proposal, claiming instead that it was a proposal put forward by mediators, to which Israel had made amendments and revisions. "It's strange that they say it's an Israeli proposal and at the same time that Israel needs to agree to it," the official remarked.
According to the president's remarks on Friday, the three-part plan involved an initial six-week complete ceasefire, followed by the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas since the group's attack on October 7. While the Israeli official awaited a formal response from Hamas, a spokesperson for the terrorist group expressed a positive view of Biden's speech, stating that they "view positively" what was included in the president's remarks.
The conflicting accounts from the Israeli official and President Biden have fueled growing skepticism over the proposed truce, especially as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu navigates pressures from right-wing ministers who have threatened to bring down his government.
