In a surprising announcement Wednesday evening, President Trump declared that both Israel and Hamas have agreed to the initial phase of a proposed Peace Plan, promising that all hostages in captivity would be released “very soon.”
“Israel will pull back their troops to an established line as we embark on the path toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” he proclaimed. It is currently estimated that there are 20 hostages held by Hamas.
Earlier in the day, during a roundtable discussion, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made an entrance mid-event and discreetly passed a note to Trump, indicating, “Very close. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon to announce the deal first.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio leans in to whisper to President Donald Trump after delivering a note regarding a Middle Eastern agreement stating, “Very close. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” pic.twitter.com/ISEJ2RsUOq
— Evan Vucci (@evanvucci) October 8, 2025
When Rubio joined the discussion, Trump invited him to address the media about the ongoing conflict, but Rubio opted to maintain silence in front of the press. Shortly after, Trump revealed that he had received a note from the Secretary of State, hinting that the conflict resolution was imminent and that his presence was required.
He later informed reporters that he needed to depart “to try and solve some problems in the Middle East.”
WATCH:
Trump subsequently shared the successful completion of phase one of the plan, signing off with, “DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
“Today marks a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all neighboring Nations, and the United States of America. We are grateful to the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for collaborating with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event a reality. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!
DONALD J. TRUMP
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
As reported by the Associated Press:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed optimism on social media, stating, “With God’s help, we will bring them all home.” In a concurrent statement, Hamas indicated that the agreement would facilitate Israeli troop withdrawals while allowing for humanitarian aid and a hostage exchange.
Hamas plans to free all 20 hostages this weekend, as sources familiar with the undertaking report, while the Israeli military will initiate a withdrawal from most areas of Gaza.
Details concerning more intricate issues about the conflict’s future remain murky, such as whether Hamas will agree to demilitarization, as sought by Trump, and the administrative future of the war-ravaged area. Nevertheless, this agreement signifies the most significant breakthrough since the January-February exchanges involving Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
The agreement emerged from days of negotiations in Egypt, revolving around a Trump-endorsed peace strategy aimed at establishing a durable resolution to the ongoing conflict.
This story is developing.
