President Donald Trump declared that Israel and Hamas have consented to the initial stage of his strategy aimed at resolving the conflict in Gaza, praising it as a “strong” and “durable” peace following over two years of hostilities.
“I am extremely proud to announce that both Israel and Hamas have endorsed the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump stated on Truth Social on Wednesday. “This signifies that ALL Hostages will be freed imminently, and Israel will pull back its Forces to a predetermined boundary as the initial moves towards a Robust, Lasting, and Permanent Peace. All Sides will receive equitable treatment!”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu verified he would assemble his government on Thursday to ratify the accord, and conveyed his gratitude to Trump and his team. “With divine assistance, we will bring them all back home,” Netanyahu wrote in a message on X.
Hamas declared an agreement that it characterized as “mandating a cessation of hostilities in Gaza, the departure of the occupation forces, the provision of humanitarian assistance, and a swap of detainees.” Via a Telegram post, the faction called upon Trump and the mediating parties “to compel the occupying government to completely fulfill the terms of the accord and to prevent any evasion or postponement of its execution.”
Last week at the White House, with Netanyahu present, Trump presented the specifics of his initiative. After Trump cautioned Hamas last Friday that “all hell” would be unleashed on the militant organization if they failed to accept the agreement by Sunday, Hamas approved the proposition in principle, seeking various modifications.
The preliminary phase of the initiative was refined through indirect discussions held in Egypt, facilitated by the U.S., Qatar, and Turkey. Trump is reportedly considering a trip to Egypt as early as Saturday to supervise the execution.
As per Trump’s strategy, the approximately 48 hostages remaining in Gaza—with 20 thought to be alive—are slated for release. Following their repatriation, Israel is expected to free 250 Palestinian inmates serving life sentences, along with an extra 1,700 Gazans held since October 7, 2023. This encompasses all women and children from Gaza incarcerated by Israel, according to the proposal.
While precise specifics are still pending, sources close to the situation informed the Associated Press that Hamas is anticipated to free all 20 remaining living hostages this weekend, concurrently with Israeli troops commencing their withdrawal from a significant portion of Gaza. Citing a Hamas source, the Associated Press reported that the live hostages would be transferred within 72 hours of the Israeli government’s ratification, and an Israeli government spokesperson indicated that their release might start on Saturday.
Trump penned, “This marks a TREMENDOUS Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all neighboring Countries, and the United States of America,” extending his appreciation to “the intermediaries from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who collaborated with us to materialize this Historic and Unparalleled Occurrence. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
Trump’s delegation comprised special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, whereas Israel’s representation included Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a trusted associate of Netanyahu.
The roster of prisoners is believed to encompass some of the most notable Palestinians incarcerated by Israel, such as Fatah leader Marwan al-Barghouti and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine chief Ahmed Saadat, both of whom are serving several life terms for their participation in assaults that resulted in Israeli fatalities.
The accord has generated inquiries concerning the future governance of Gaza following the conflict, potentially involving an international entity featuring former senior U.S. and Arab officials.
Arab states endorsing the initiative maintain that it must ultimately culminate in Palestinian sovereignty, a notion Netanyahu has dismissed. Hamas has indicated it would surrender control of Gaza solely to a Palestinian technocratic administration overseen by the Palestinian Authority and supported by Arab nations.
Despite Israel scaling back its military operations at Trump’s request, attacks have persisted, with eight fatalities reported in Gaza within the past day. More than 67,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, and over 169,000 have also sustained injuries since the onset of the Israel-Hamas War, according to U.N. figures. The conflict began when Hamas initiated a terrorist assault in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 individuals and the abduction of an additional 250 as hostages.
This represents an evolving news report. Further updates are forthcoming.
