WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have reached agreement on the first phase of what he called his Gaza peace deal, raising hopes of an end to the two-year war.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump wrote that “ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon” and that “Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line.”
Hamas has confirmed the agreement, though a Palestinian source told the BBC that the group has yet to receive the final list of prisoners Israel plans to free in exchange.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the development as “a great day for Israel” and said his government would meet on Thursday to approve the deal.
A senior Palestinian official said a ceasefire would come into effect immediately after the Israeli cabinet’s approval, expected around 14:00 local time (12:00 BST).
The breakthrough — brokered during talks in Egypt — comes two years and two days after Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, when Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 67,183 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including more than 20,000 children, as Israel’s bombardment and ground operations devastated the enclave.
While Trump’s announcement has been welcomed as a major diplomatic step, key details — including the sequencing of troop withdrawals and prisoner exchanges — remain under discussion.
Analysts say the agreement could mark the most significant opening yet for a lasting ceasefire if both sides uphold the terms.
