Biden Urges Qatar to Persuade Hamas to Accept Ceasefire Demand

United States President Joe Biden. (Wikimedia Commons/The White House)

JAKARTA - US President Joe Biden urged Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani to persuade the Palestinian Hamas organization to accept a proposed ceasefire agreement with Israel, the White House said on Monday.

"(Biden) urged Emir Tamim to use all appropriate measures to secure Hamas' acceptance of the agreement and stressed that Hamas is now the only obstacle to a complete ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza," the White House said in a statement as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, June 4.

On Friday at the end of May, Biden said that Israel had offered a three-phase proposal to achieve a cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages.

Biden confirmed to the Emir that the United States would work with Qatar and Egypt to ensure the full implementation of the agreement, the statement said.

Biden also confirmed Israel's willingness to continue the agreement, it added.

The statement also said that Biden thanked the Qatari leader and his team for their efforts to secure the release of the hostages and agreed to continue to coordinate closely in the coming days.

As reported, the ceasefire proposal contains three stages, and the first stage mentioned will last for six weeks and includes a temporary ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages from both sides.

Then the second stage is negotiations to end all hostilities in the conflict permanently, and could include the release of all remaining hostages and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza if Israeli security guarantees are met.

Meanwhile, the third phase is the start of a massive reconstruction plan in Gaza that will also include assistance from international partners.

The United States, Egypt, and Qatar are expected to play key roles in efforts to keep this initiative alive, Biden said.