Israel informs US it is no longer committed to Biden-backed Gaza ceasefire plan: Report

JERUSALEM

Israel informed the US that it is no longer committed to the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that was formulated during the administration of former President Joe Biden, Israeli daily Haaretz claimed on Monday.

Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer told US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff during their two meetings in Florida that “Israel is not committed to the three-stage plan of the Biden administration, even if it signed it.”

“Netanyahu's plan, as Dermer presented it to Witkoff, is as follows: release all the remaining hostages in one big, single stage. Hamas will receive prisoners in return,” Haaretz said.

According to the newspaper, if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand for releasing the hostages is not met, he will resort to “Plan B.”

Israel “will return to intense warfare, establish areas of shelter for civilians, and will allow food to be distributed by international organizations in these areas alone,” it said of Netanyahu's plan B.

“In fact, as far as Netanyahu is concerned, there is no second stage,” it added.

According to Haaretz, Netanyahu is waiting for the new chief of staff Eyal Zamir next month to take up his post and formulate a detailed plan.

The newspaper said Israel is conducting negotiations with Washington regarding the release of its remaining hostages in Gaza based on Netanyahu’s “tactics,” which can be summarized as reaching an agreement with the Trump administration, “which will, in turn, apply pressure that will be felt by Hamas.”

There was no comment from the Netanyahu government on the report.

The first six-week phase of the ceasefire agreement took effect on Jan. 19, suspending Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 48,300 Palestinians and left the enclave in ruins.

The 3-phase ceasefire agreement includes a prisoner exchange and sustained calm, aiming for a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.