On Wednesday, President Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have both agreed to the “first phase” of a proposed peace agreement aimed at ceasing hostilities in Gaza and facilitating the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Trump stated on Truth Social, “This indicates that ALL of the Hostages will be freed very soon, and Israel will pull back its Troops to an established line as initial steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.”
“All Parties will be treated fairly!” he emphasized, calling it “a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America.”
In line with Trump’s statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that the endorsement of the initial phase signifies that “all our hostages will be returned.”
Netanyahu referred to this as “a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for Israel,” in a statement shared on X.
“From the outset, I was resolute: we will not rest until every one of our hostages is back and all objectives are met,” the Prime Minister added. “Thanks to unwavering determination, effective military action, and the exceptional assistance of our esteemed ally President Trump, we have achieved this crucial moment.”
Netanyahu continued to thank Trump for his leadership and enduring commitment to Israel’s safety and the release of hostages, proclaiming, “God Bless Israel. God Bless America. God Bless our remarkable alliance.”
Sources engaged in negotiations in Egypt informed that mediators are aiming for a finalized agreement between Israel and Hamas to be signed on Thursday, as reported by The Times of Israel.
Trump shared with Fox News host Sean Hannity that he had spoken with Netanyahu after the deal was revealed and predicted that the hostages would likely be freed by Monday, U.S. time.
A senior White House official elaborated that the agreement will go before the Israeli cabinet on Thursday for approval, following which Israeli troops will begin their gradual pullback from certain regions of the Gaza strip.
“The deal will be presented to the Israeli cabinet tomorrow. Once they approve it, Israel is required to retreat to the designated line, which should happen within 24 hours,” stated the official.
“The countdown will begin, and Hamas may attempt to expedite the release if possible. Our assessment indicates that hostages will start being freed on Monday,” the official noted.
Earlier in the day, Trump hinted at an impending deal between Hamas and Israel during a White House event.
“I received a message from the secretary of state indicating that a deal in the Middle East is very close, and they will require my approval shortly,” the president mentioned after receiving a note from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It indicated the deal was “[v]ery close. We need you to authorize a Truth Social post soon so you can announce the deal first.”
Trump expressed gratitude to “the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who collaborated with us to realize this Historic and Unprecedented Event.”
“BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” he added.
Reports indicate that approximately 20 living Israeli hostages are expected to be released over the weekend, while the remains of 28 deceased hostages will be returned later, although the ability of Hamas to locate all remains is uncertain.
As part of the agreement, Israel is anticipated to release a significant number of Palestinian prisoners, though their identities have yet to be identified.
Trump’s 20-point peace initiative suggests that Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, alongside “1,700 Gazans detained after October 7, 2023, including all women and children arrested in that timeframe.”
According to the plan, for each deceased hostage, Israel must return the remains of 15 Gazans.
“Once all hostages are repatriated, Hamas affiliates who commit to peaceful coexistence and relinquishing their weapons will receive amnesty,” states Trump’s peace proposal. “Hamas members wishing to exit Gaza will be granted safe passage to designated countries.”
The framework outlines three phases of Israeli troop withdrawals from densely populated areas in Gaza, commencing with the first phase coinciding with the hostage release.
However, officials have yet to divulge strategies for addressing some challenging aspects of the peace plan—such as contributions of international troops for a peacekeeping contingent or the formation of a suggested “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian” interim administration.
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A transitional government is slated to be overseen by a Peace Board chaired by Trump, which will include former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as a member.
Trump mentioned on Wednesday afternoon that he might personally attend the delicate final discussions taking place at the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt informed that Trump is scheduled to undergo his annual physical on Friday and is “considering a trip to the Middle East shortly thereafter.”
No immediate updates about Trump’s travel plans were available post-announcement.
