Tel-aviv/Gaza - An aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that Israel has accepted a framework deal proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden to wind down the Gaza war, though he described the deal as flawed and requiring significant work.

In an interview with Britain's Sunday Times, Ophir Falk, Netanyahu's chief foreign policy advisor, stated, "We agreed to the deal — it's not a good deal, but we dearly want the hostages released, all of them." Falk emphasized that Israel's key conditions remain unchanged, including the release of hostages and the destruction of Hamas, which he called a genocidal terrorist organization.

Biden's proposal, revealed on Friday, includes a three-phase plan submitted by the Netanyahu government. The first phase involves a truce and the return of some hostages held by Hamas. The second phase would see negotiations for an open-ended cessation of hostilities, during which the remaining captives would be freed.

The plan suggests that Hamas would continue to be involved in incremental arrangements mediated by Egypt and Qatar, potentially conflicting with Israel's goal to eliminate the Iranian-backed terrorist group.

Biden has previously supported various ceasefire proposals, all of which collapsed, including a February agreement for a truce by Ramadan that did not materialize. The main contention has been Israel's refusal to discuss more than temporary pauses in fighting until Hamas is destroyed. Conversely, Hamas insists on a permanent end to the war before releasing hostages.

In his speech, Biden claimed that the new proposal would create a better future for Gaza without Hamas in power but admitted that many details need to be negotiated to progress from phase one to phase two.

Falk reiterated that there would be no permanent ceasefire until all of Israel's objectives are met. Netanyahu faces pressure from his coalition, with far-right partners threatening to leave if they perceive the deal as lenient towards Hamas, while centrist partner Benny Gantz is open to considering the deal.

Hamas has tentatively welcomed Biden's initiative. Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Al Jazeera that while Biden's speech included positive ideas, they seek a comprehensive agreement that meets their demands, which include an end to the Gaza offensive, withdrawal of invading forces, free movement for Palestinians, and reconstruction aid.

Israeli officials rejected this, arguing it would return the situation to the status quo before October 7, when Hamas militants launched an attack into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages.