>> SPECIAL REPORT NOW REPORTING DAVID MUIR. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. WE'RE COMING ON THE AIR A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ABOUT TO COME BEFORE THE CAMERAS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WAS CONVICTED OF 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FILING FALSE BUSINESS DOCUMENTS. HERE IN NEW YORK, PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ACTUALLY EXPECTED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NATION TO THE NATION, ABOUT ISRAEL'S WAR WITH HAMAS, URGING HAMAS TO ACCEPT THE HOSTAGE DEAL THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON THE TABLE IN RECENT DAYS. THIS WOULD BE A CRITICAL STEP BEFORE ANY POSSIBLE PEACE PLAN TO TRY TO END THE CONFLICT IN GAZA, WHICH IS ABOUT TO ENTER ITS EIGHTH MONTH. I SHOULD MENTION WE DON'T KNOW IF THE PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS THE 34 FELONY GUILTY VERDICTS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. WE KNOW HE WILL ADDRESS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW. ISRAEL'S INTENSIFIED OPERATION INSIDE THE SOUTHERN GAZA CITY OF RAFAH. THE ISRAELI MILITARY TODAY SAYING ITS FORCES HAVE ADVANCED INTO CENTRAL RAFAH DESPITE GLOBAL BACKLASH AND CALLS TO SCALE BACK THE ASSAULT. THERE JUST THIS WEEK, AN ISRAELI OFFICIAL SUGGESTING THIS WAR IN GAZA COULD GO UNTIL AT LEAST THE END OF THE YEAR. ANOTHER SEVEN MONTHS. ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAS REPEATEDLY SAID THE WAR WILL CONTINUE. HE SAYS, UNTIL HAMAS IS DESTROYED, HOSTAGE TALKS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS BROKE OFF ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO. IT'S BELIEVED MORE THAN 100 HOSTAGES ARE STILL BEING HELD IN GAZA. YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE STATE DINING ROOM THERE. OBVIOUSLY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. THE PRESIDENT EXPECTED TO SPEAK SHORTLY TO THE NATION ABOUT INCREASING THE PRESSURE ON HAMAS TO ACCEPT THIS DEAL FOR A CEASE FIRE, TO TRY TO GET THESE HOSTAGES OUT. AS I MENTIONED, THAT NUMBER, AND IT BEARS REPEATING AT LEAST 100 HOSTAGES, IT'S BELIEVED, ARE STILL BEING HELD INSIDE GAZA. NOW, AGAIN, WHAT'S UNCLEAR IS WHETHER OR NOT PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL ADDRESS DIRECTLY THE MAJOR HEADLINE HERE AT HOME, WHICH IS THE FIRST CRIMINAL CONVICTION OF A FORMER PRESIDENT IN HISTORY, DONALD TRUMP, FOUND GUILTY ON THOSE 34 FELONY COUNTS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN A NEW YORK CITY COURTROOM. THE FORMER PRESIDENT REACTING YESTERDAY AND THEN AGAIN TODAY IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS, CALLING THE TRIAL RIGGED, SAYING HE WILL FIGHT ON. HE SAID THE VERDICT WILL COME THIS NOVEMBER WHEN AMERICANS GO TO THE POLLS. MARY BRUCE, YOU'RE WATCHING THIS LIVE CAMERA TWO AS WE AWAIT THE PRESIDENT, UNCLEAR IF HE'LL ADDRESS THE NEWS HERE AT HOME AND DAVID, THE PRESIDENT WE KNOW HAS GONE REALLY OUT OF HIS WAY TO ACTUALLY STAY SILENT ON THIS TRIAL OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS. >> HE HAS BEEN SILENT SINCE WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THAT GUILTY VERDICT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. BUT HIS CAMPAIGN HAS REALLY STRUCK A VERY SOMBER, SOMEWHAT MUTED TONE. THEY ARE TRYING NOT TO BE TOO CELEBRATORY ABOUT THIS. THEY DON'T WANT TO FEED INTO THE NARRATIVE, WHICH DONALD TRUMP REPEATED TODAY, THE BASELESS NARRATIVE THAT THIS WAS ALL SOMEHOW A POLITICAL HIT JOB ORCHESTRATED BY THE PRESIDENT, HIS CAMPAIGN, THOUGH, HAS SAID THAT WHAT WE SAW YESTERDAY, THIS VERDICT MAKES CLEAR THAT NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. AND WHILE CLEARLY THE PRESIDENT POLITICALLY WILL WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS VERDICT, HE IS NOW RUNNING AGAINST A CONVICTED FELON. HIS CAMPAIGN, I AM TOLD, WANTS TO STAY LASER FOCUSED ON OUTLINING THE STAKES IN THIS ELECTION. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, THOUGH, JUST HOW MUCH THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO LEAN IN TO THIS CONVICTION. IT'S WHY, IF HE DOES CHOOSE TO ADDRESS IT HERE AND HERE COMES THE PRESIDENT, DAVID. >> JUST CHECKING. THIS AFTERNOON . GOOD AFTERNOON. BEFORE I BEGIN MY REMARKS, I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY IN NEW YORK CITY, THE AMERICAN PRINCIPLE THAT NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW WAS REAFFIRMED. DONALD TRUMP WAS GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DEFEND HIMSELF. IT WAS A STATE CASE, NOT A FEDERAL CASE. AND IT WAS HEARD BY A JURY OF 12 CITIZENS, 12 AMERICANS, 12 PEOPLE LIKE YOU, LIKE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO SERVED ON JURIES. THIS JUROR HAS CHOSEN THE SAME WAY. EVERY JURY IN AMERICA HAS CHOSEN WAS THE PROCESS THAT DONALD TRUMP'S ATTORNEY W PART OF. THE JURY HEARD FIVE WEEKS OF EVIDENCE, FIVE WEEKS AFTER CAREFUL DELIBERATION, THE JURY REACHED A UNANIMOUS VERDICT. THEY FOUND DONALD TRUMP GUILTY ON ALL 34 FELONY COUNTS. NOW HE'LL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, AS HE SHOULD, TO APPEAL THAT DECISION, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HAS. THAT OPPORTUNITY. THAT'S HOW THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF JUSTICE WORKS . AND IT'S RECKLESS. IT'S DANGEROUS. IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO SAY THIS WAS RIGGED JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THE VERDICT. OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS ENDURED FOR NEARLY 250 YEARS, AND IT LITERALLY IS THE CORNERSTONE OF AMERICA. OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE JUSTICE SYSTEM SHOULD BE RESPECTED, AND WE SHOULD NEVER ALLOW ANYONE TO TEAR IT DOWN. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. THAT'S AMERICA. THAT'S WHO WE ARE, AND THAT'S WHO WE'LL ALWAYS BE, GOD WILLING. NOW TO ANOTHER ISSUE. I WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON MY EFFORTS TO END THE CRISIS IN GAZA. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, MY NEGOTIATORS OF FOREIGN POLICY AND INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AND LIKE HAVE BEEN RELENTLESSLY FOCUSED, NOT JUST ON A CEASE FIRE THAT WOULD EVER THAT WOULD INEVITABLY BE FRAGILE AND TEMPORARY, BUT ON A DURABLE END OF THE WAR THAT'S BEEN THE FOCUS OF DURABLE END OF THIS WAR, ONE THAT BRINGS ALL THE HOSTAGES HOME, ENSURES ISRAEL'S SECURITY, CREATES A BETTER DAY AFTER IN GAZA WITHOUT HAMAS AND POWER, AND SETS THE STAGE FOR POLITICAL SETTLEMENT THAT PROVIDES A BETTER FUTURE FOR ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS ALIKE. NOW, AFTER INTENSIVE DIPLOMACY CARRIED OUT BY MY TEAM AND MY MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH LEADERS OF ISRAEL, QATAR AND EGYPT AND OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES, ISRAEL HAS NOW OFFERED ISRAEL HAS OFFERED A COMPREHENSIVE NEW PROPOSAL. IT'S A ROADMAP TO AN ENDURING CEASE FIRE AND THE RELEASE OF ALL HOSTAGES. THIS PROPOSAL HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED BY QATAR TO HAMAS. TODAY, I WANT TO LAY OUT HIS TERMS FOR THE AMERICAN CITIZENS AND FOR THE WORLD. THIS NEW PROPOSAL HAS THREE PHASES THREE. THE FIRST PHASE WOULD LAST FOR SIX WEEKS. HERE'S WHAT IT WOULD INCLUDE A FULL AND COMPLETE CEASE FIRE AND WITHDRAWAL OF ISRAELI FORCES FROM ALL POPULATED AREAS OF GAZA. RELEASE OF A NUMBER OF HOSTAGES, INCLUDING WOMEN, THE ELDERLY, THE WOUNDED, IN EXCHANGE FOR RELEASE OF HUNDREDS OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS. AS THERE ARE AMERICAN HOSTAGES WHO WOULD BE RELEASED AT THIS STAGE AND WE WANT THEM HOME. ADDITIONAL SOME REMAINS OF HOSTAGES WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED WOULD BE RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILIES, BRINGING SOME DEGREE OF CLOSURE TO THE TERRIBLE GRIEF. PALESTINIANS CIVILIANS WOULD RETURN TO THEIR HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS IN ALL AREAS OF GAZA, INCLUDING IN THE NORTH. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE WOULD SURGE, WITH 600 TRUCKS CARRYING AID INTO GAZA EVERY SINGLE DAY. WITH THE CEASE FIRE, THAT AID COULD BE SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY DISTRIBUTED TO ALL WHO NEED IT. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TEMPORARY SHELTERS, INCLUDING HOUSING UNITS, WOULD BE DELIVERED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. ALL THAT AND MORE WOULD BEGAN IMMEDIATELY. IMMEDIATELY, DURING THE SIX WEEKS OF PHASE ONE, ISRAEL AND HAMAS WOULD NEGOTIATE THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS TO GET TO PHASE TWO, WHICH IS A PERMANENT END TO HOSTILITIES. TO HOSTILITIES. NOW, I'LL BE STRAIGHT WITH YOU. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DETAILS TO NEGOTIATE, TO MOVE FROM PHASE ONE TO PHASE TWO. ISRAEL WILL WANT TO MAKE SURE ITS INTERESTS ARE PROTECTED. BUT THE PROPOSAL SAYS IF THE NEGOTIATIONS TAKE LONGER THAN SIX WEEKS, THE PHASE ONE, THE CEASE FIRE WILL STILL CONTINUE AS LONG AS NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE IN THE UNITED STATES, EGYPT AND QATAR WOULD WORK TO ENSURE NEGOTIATIONS KEEP GOING. ALL AGREEMENTS, ALL AGREEMENTS, UNTIL ALL THE AGREEMENTS ARE REACHED AND PHASE TWO IS ABLE TO BEGIN. THEN PHASE TWO THERE WOULD BE AN EXCHANGE FOR THE RELEASE OF ALL REMAINING LIVING HOSTAGES, INCLUDING MALE SOLDIERS, ISRAELI FORCES WOULD WITHDRAW FROM GAZA, AND AS LONG AS THE MOSQUE LIVES UP TO ITS COMMITMENTS, A TEMPORARY CEASE FIRE WOULD BECOME, IN THE WORDS OF THE PROPOSAL, THE ISRAELI PROPOSAL, THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES PERMANENTLY END OF, QUOTE, CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES PERMANENTLY. FINALLY, IN PHASE THREE, A MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION PLAN FOR GAZA WOULD COMMENCE AND ANY FINAL REMAINS OF HOSTAGES WHO'VE BEEN KILLED WOULD BE RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILIES. THAT'S THE OFFER THAT'S NOW ON THE TABLE. AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR. IT'S WHAT WE NEED. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL SHOULD KNOW SO THEY CAN MAKE THIS OFFER WITHOUT ANY FURTHER RISK TO THEIR OWN SECURITY, BECAUSE THEY'VE DEVASTATED HAMAS FORM OF FORCES OVER THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS. AT THIS POINT, HAMAS NO LONGER IS CAPABLE OF CARRYING OUT ANOTHER. OCTOBER 7TH WAS ONE OF THE ISRAELIS MAIN OBJECTIVE IN THIS WAR, AND, QUITE FRANKLY, A RIGHTEOUS ONE. I KNOW THERE ARE THOSE IN ISRAEL WHO WILL NOT AGREE WITH THIS PLAN, AND WILL CALL FOR THE WAR TO CONTINUE INDEFINITELY. SOME TIME. SOME ARE EVEN IN THE GOVERNMENT COALITION, AND THEY'VE MADE IT CLEAR THEY WANT TO OCCUPY GAZA. THEY WANT TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR YEARS, AND THE HOSTAGES ARE NOT A PRIORITY TO THEM. WELL I'VE URGED THE LEADERSHIP IN ISRAEL TO STAND BEHIND THIS DEAL DESPITE WHATEVER PRESSURE COMES AND TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. LET ME SAY THIS AS SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL, IT'S THE ONLY AMERICAN PRESIDENT WHO HAS EVER GONE TO ISRAEL IN A TIME OF WAR. AS SOMEONE WHO JUST SENT THE US FORCES TO DIRECTLY DEFEND ISRAEL WHEN IT WAS ATTACKED BY IRAN, I ASK YOU TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND THINK WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THIS MOMENT IS LOST? WE CAN'T LOSE THIS MOMENT. INDEFINITE WAR IN PURSUIT OF AN UNIDENTIFIED NOTION OF TOTAL VICTORY WILL NOT BRING ISRAEL WILL NOT BRING DOWN BOG DOWN, WILL ONLY BOG DOWN ISRAEL AND GAZA, DRAINING THE ECONOMIC, MILITARY AND HUMAN AND HUMAN RESOURCES AND FURTHERING ISRAEL'S ISOLATION IN THE WORLD THAT WILL NOT BRING HOSTAGES HOME, THAT WILL NOT NOT BRING AN ENDURING DEFEAT OF HAMAS, THAT WILL NOT BRING ISRAEL LASTING SECURITY, BUT A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH THAT STARTS WITH THIS DEAL, WILL BRING HOSTAGES HOME AND WILL LEAD TO MORE SECURE ISRAEL. AND ONCE A CEASE FIRE AND HOSTAGE DEAL WAS CONCLUDED, IT UNLOCKS THE POSSIBILITY OF A GREAT DEAL MORE PROGRESS, INCLUDING INCLUDING CALM ALONG ISRAEL'S NORTHERN BORDER WITH LEBANON. THE UNITED STATES WILL HELP FORGE A DIPLOMATIC RESOLUTION, ONE THAT ENSURES ISRAEL'S SECURITY AND ALLOWS PEOPLE TO SAFELY RETURN TO THEIR HOMES WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING ATTACKED. WITH THE DEAL OF REBUILDING OF GAZA WILL BEGIN, ARAB NATIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI LEADERS TO GET IT DONE IN A MANNER THAT DOES NOT ALLOW HAMAS TO REARM. AND THE UNITED STATES WILL WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO REBUILD HOMES, SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS IN GAZA TO HELP REPAIR COMMUNITIES THAT WERE DESTROYED IN THE CHAOS OF WAR. AND WITH THIS DEAL, AS WE COULD COME MORE DEEPLY INTEGRATED IN THE REGION, INCLUDING, IT'S NO SURPRISE TO YOU ALL, INCLUDING NO. I PUT POTENTIAL HISTORIC NORMALIZATION AGREEMENT WITH SAUDI ARABIA. ISRAEL COULD BE PART OF A REGIONAL SECURITY NETWORK TO COUNTER THE THREAT POSED BY IRAN . ALL OF THIS PROGRESS WOULD MAKE ISRAEL MORE SECURE WITH ISRAELI FAMILIES. NO LONGER LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF A TERRORIST ATTACK. AND ALL OF THIS WOULD CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR A DIFFERENT FUTURE AND A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. ONE OF SELF-DETERMINATION, DIGNITY, SECURITY AND FREEDOM. THIS PATH IS AVAILABLE ONCE THE DEAL IS STRUCK. ISRAEL WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST THE THREATS TO ITS SECURITY AND TO BRING THOSE RESPONSIBLE TO OCTOBER 7TH TO JUSTICE. AND THE UNITED STATES WILL ALWAYS ENSURE THAT ISRAEL HAS WHAT IT NEEDS TO DEFEND ITSELF FROM US, FAILS TO FULFILL ITS COMMITMENTS UNDER THE DEAL, ISRAEL CAN RESUME MILITARY OPERATIONS, BUT EGYPT, QATAR HAVE ASSURED ME, AND THEY ARE CONTINUING TO WORK TO ENSURE THAT HAMAS DOESN'T DO THAT. THE UNITED STATES WILL HELP ENSURE THAT ISRAEL LIVES UP TO THEIR OBLIGATIONS AS WELL. THAT'S WHAT THIS DEAL SAYS. THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS. AND WE'LL DO OUR PART. THIS IS TRULY A DECISIVE MOMENT. HEZBOLLAH'S MADE THEIR PROPOSAL. HAMAS SAYS IT WANTS A CEASE FIRE. THIS DEAL IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE WHETHER THEY REALLY MEAN IT. HAMAS NEEDS TO TAKE THE DEAL. FOR MONTHS, PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE CALLED FOR CEASE FIRE. NOW IT'S TIME TO RAISE YOUR VOICES AND TO DEMAND THAT HAMAS COME TO THE TABLE AGREES TO THIS DEAL AND ENDS THIS WAR THAT THEY BEGAN. OF COURSE, THERE'LL BE DIFFERENCES ON THE SPECIFIC DETAILS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT. THAT'S NATURAL. IF A MOSQUE COMES TO NEGOTIATE, READY TO DEAL, THEN ISRAEL NEGOTIATIONS MUST BE GIVEN A MANDATE. THE NECESSARY FLEXIBILITY TO CLOSE THAT DEAL. THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS HAVE MARKED HEARTBREAKING PAIN. PAIN OF THOSE WHO LOVE US ARE SLAUGHTERED BY HAMAS TERRORISTS IN OCTOBER 7TH. HOSTAGES, THEIR FAMILIES WAITING IN ANGUISH. ORDINARY ISRAELIS WHOSE LIVES WERE FOREVER MARKED BY THE SHATTERING EVENT OF HAMAS SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND RUTHLESS BRUTALITY, AND THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE HAVE ENDURED SHEER HELL IN THIS WAR. TOO MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED, INCLUDING THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN FAR TOO MANY HAVE BEEN BADLY WOUNDED. WE ALL SAW THE TERRIBLE IMAGES FROM THE DEADLY FIRE IN RAFAH EARLIER THIS WEEK, FOLLOWING AN ISRAELI STRIKE AGAINST TARGETING HAMAS, AND EVEN AS WE WORKED TO SURGE ASSISTANCE TO GAZA WITH 1800 TRUCKS DELIVERING SUPPLIES THESE LAST FIVE DAYS, 1800 THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS STILL REMAINS. I KNOW THIS IS A SUBJECT ON WHICH PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY FEEL DEEP, PASSIONATE CONVICTIONS, AND SO DO I. THIS IS ONE OF THE HARDEST, MOST COMPLICATED PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD. THERE'S NOTHING EASY ABOUT THIS. NOTHING EASY ABOUT IT. THROUGH IT ALL, THOUGH, THE UNITED STATES HAS WORKED RELENTLESSLY TO SUPPORT ISRAELI SECURITY TO GET HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES INTO GAZA AND TO GET A CEASE FIRE IN A HOSTAGE DEAL, TO BRING THIS WAR TO AN END. YESTERDAY DAY, WITH THIS NEW INITIATIVE, WE'VE TAKEN AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THAT DIRECTION . I WANT TO LOVE WITH YOU TODAY AS TO WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP. EVERYONE WHO WANTS PEACE NOW MUST RAISE THEIR VOICES AND LET THE LEADERS KNOW THEY SHOULD TAKE THIS DEAL. WORK TO MAKE IT REAL. MAKE IT LASTING , AND FORGE A BETTER FUTURE OUT OF THE TRAGIC TERROR ATTACK AND WAR. IT'S TIME TO BEGIN THIS NEW STAGE FOR THE HOSTAGES TO COME HOME, FOR ISRAEL TO BE SECURE, FOR THE SUFFERING TO STOP. IT'S TIME FOR THIS WAR TO END. FOR THE DAY AFTER. TO BEGIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT. >> CAN YOU TELL US, SIR, PRESIDENT BIDEN THERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE IN THE STATE DINING ROOM? >> LET'S LISTEN IN. >> DO YOU THINK THE CONVICTION WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE CAMPAIGN? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS, SIR. >> SHOULD HE BE ON THE BALLOT, SIR? >> TEMPTED BUT NOT
