US President Joe Biden urged Hamas to accept the new Israeli proposal to end the conflict in Gaza, saying that “it is time to end this war.”

The three-part proposal would begin with a six-week ceasefire under which the IDF would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza.

There will also be an “increase” in humanitarian aid, as well as the exchange of some hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

The deal would eventually lead to a “permanent cessation of hostilities” and a major reconstruction plan in Gaza.

Hamas said it viewed the proposal “positively.”

Speaking at the White House on Friday, Biden said the first phase of the proposed plan would include a “full and complete ceasefire,” the withdrawal of Israeli army forces from populated areas, and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

“This is truly a defining moment,” he said. He added, “Hamas says it wants a ceasefire. This agreement represents an opportunity to prove whether they really mean it.”

He added that the ceasefire would allow more humanitarian aid to reach the besieged Strip, as “600 trucks carry aid to Gaza every day.”

The second phase will see the return of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers. The ceasefire will then transform into a “permanent cessation of hostilities.”

Among those who urged Hamas to agree to the proposal was British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who said on the X program that the group “must accept this deal so we can see the fighting stop.”

Cameron added: “We have long argued that stopping the fighting can turn into lasting peace if we are all prepared to take the right steps.” “Let us seize this moment and put an end to this conflict.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also welcomed the development in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He said that the world “has witnessed a lot of suffering [and] “The destruction in Gaza,” he said, “is time to stop.”

“I welcome [President] Biden initiative [and] Encouraging all parties to seize this opportunity to ceasefire, release all hostages, and ensure unimpeded humanitarian access. [and] He added, “Ultimately, lasting peace in the Middle East.”

Biden acknowledged in his speech that negotiations between the first and second stages will be difficult.

Just a few days ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he strongly opposes agreeing to an end to the war as part of a ceasefire agreement — making Biden’s reference to the end of the war especially significant.

While the plan includes many details from previous, ultimately failed, rounds of talks, the US calls for a permanent ceasefire appear to be a major concession aimed at trying to bring Hamas back into negotiations on terms they have already said they would agree to. A permanent ceasefire was one of the group’s main demands.

The third phase of the proposal would see the final remains of any deceased Israeli hostages returned, as well as a “major reconstruction plan” with US and international assistance to rebuild homes, schools and hospitals.

Biden acknowledged in his remarks that some Israelis — including officials within the Israeli government — would likely oppose the proposal.

“I urged the leadership in Israel to stand behind this agreement,” he said. “No matter what [political] The pressure comes.

The American President also addressed the Israeli people directly, telling them, “We cannot lose this moment.”

Notably, Biden said that Hamas has now deteriorated to the point that it can no longer repeat an attack like the one carried out by its fighters on October 7 — a potential signal to Israelis that Washington sees the war as over.

In a statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu insisted that the war will not end until its goals are achieved, including the return of all hostages and the elimination of Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities. He said that the latest plan will allow Israel to adhere to these principles.

For its part, Hamas said it viewed the proposal “positively” because of its call for a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, reconstruction and the exchange of prisoners.

The group said it was ready to “deal positively and constructively” with any proposal centered around a permanent ceasefire, provided that “Israel declares its explicit commitment to that.”

Another Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations who was briefed on the new Israeli proposal said that the document did not include a guarantee that the war would end, nor that Israeli army forces would be completely withdrawn from Gaza.

The proposal was conveyed to Hamas through intermediaries in Qatar.

In the face of mounting civilian casualties in Gaza, President Biden has faced growing domestic criticism over the level of US support for Israel, and calls to do more to encourage the warring parties to negotiate.

However, the White House said earlier this week that it did not believe Israeli operations in Rafah amounted to a “major ground operation” that could cross a red line and lead to a potential change in US policy.

This statement came after an Israeli air strike that killed at least 45 Palestinians on Sunday.

In a separate announcement on Friday, US lawmakers from both political sides formally invited Netanyahu to address Congress in Washington.

It is unclear when the speech will be delivered.

More than 36,000 people have been killed across Gaza since the beginning of the conflict, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

The war began in October when Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 252 others to Gaza hostage.