President Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaks about the Israel-Hamas cease-fire and hostage release deal at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)
Minutes earlier, Biden explained that the cease-fire would consist of two phases. The first phase, which will last around six weeks, "includes a full and complete cease-fire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and elderly and the wounded."
"And I'm proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release and phase one as well," the president said. "And the vice president and I cannot wait to welcome them home."
Israel has also released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Biden said, and Palestinians "can also return to their neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza, and a surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza will begin." The second phase of the cease-fire will begin after Israel negotiates "the necessary arrangements," which Biden said would mark "a permanent end of the war."
"There are a number of details to negotiate the move from phase one to phase two," he continued. "But the plan says if negotiations take longer than six weeks, the cease-fire will continue as long as the negotiations continue."
FOX NEWS GETS AN INSIDE LOOK AT IDF'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS
President Biden delivers remarks on the recently announced cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
"And, we, of course, thank the Trump team for working with this on this cease-fire agreement. We think it's important that they were at the table."
Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace, Greg Norman, Trey Yingst, Brooke Curto, Efrat Lachter and Sophia Compton contributed to this report.
Andrea Margolis is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com.
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