President Donald Trump has announced a breakthrough deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by his administration, that initiates the first phase of his peace plan by securing the release of all remaining hostages in exchange for an Israeli troop withdrawal and a cessation of hostilities.
WASHINGTON — In a major diplomatic development, President Donald Trump announced early Thursday that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan, potentially marking a turning point in the two-year-long war in Gaza.
The announcement, made via a post on Truth Social, follows three days of indirect negotiations in Egypt. “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump wrote. He described the deal as a “historic” step toward a “Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.”
The agreement’s first phase mandates an immediate cessation of hostilities and the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza. In return, Israel will withdraw its troops to an agreed-upon line and release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon,” Trump stated, praising mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the deal, calling it a “national and moral victory” achieved through “powerful military action” and the efforts of “our great friend and ally President Trump.” Hamas separately urged mediators to ensure Israel implements the terms “without disavowal or delay.”
However, the deal leaves critical long-term issues unresolved, notably Hamas’s disarmament and the governance of Gaza, which are part of the broader 21-point plan. The conflict, which began with Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,139 people, has resulted in the deaths of at least 67,183 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.