The meeting of Fernando Merman and Louis Har, who were rescued from Gaza, are reunited with their family members / IDF spokesman
The Biden administration and several countries in the Middle East are rushing to formulate a detailed and comprehensive plan for long-term peace between Israel and the Palestinians - including a clear timetable for the establishment of a Palestinian state - the Washington Post reported.
The plan may be announced in the coming weeks, but it depends on the beginning of a truce and an agreement for the release of hostages, which is currently still far from being finalized.
The organizers of the plan hope that the agreement can be started before Ramadan, which begins on March 10.
According to American and Arab officials, the first phase of the ceasefire, which is expected to last at least six weeks, will provide time to publicize the plan, gather additional support and take the first steps towards its implementation, including the establishment of a Palestinian transitional government.
King Abdullah of Jordan in a meeting with US President Joe Biden, The White House, Washington, February 12, 2024/Reuters
"The key is the hostage deal," said one of the American officials, who, like the others quoted in the article, discussed the issue anonymously so as not to disrupt the plan before its completion.
At the moment, the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are stalled and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to return the delegation to Cairo to continue mediation talks with the United States, Qatar and Egypt.
In addition to the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Palestinian representatives are involved in the formulation of the plan.
However, the fear is that Israel's planned attack on Rafah will exacerbate the situation and bury any chance of a hostage agreement and a long-term ceasefire.
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Gaza war
Palestinian state