United States President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on the ‘first phase’ of the plan to stop the two-year-long war in Gaza. Trump said as per the plan, the fighting would end in Gaza, Hamas will release Israeli hostages, and Tel Aviv Palestinian prisoners.
Israel Prime Minister’s office confirmed the ‘historic achievement’ of reaching the Gaza deal and said both Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump spoke about it over the phone.
Hamas has also confirmed agreeing to the deal which would lead to the end of war in Gaza, withdrawal of Israeli troops, and exchange of prisoners/hostages.
As per the details available, Hamas has agreed to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, while the Israelis would withdraw from the majority of Gaza.
Netanyahu said on the development: “With God’s help we will bring them all home,” adding “it’s a great day for Israel”.
“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The deal was reached exactly two years and two days after Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack, in which gunmen killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others as hostages.
At least 67,183 people have died in Israeli military operations in Gaza since the start of the war, including 20,179 children, as per the Hamas-run health ministry.
