The first phase of the agreement called for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to implement the first phase of the White House peace plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza, and that Israeli hostages will soon be released.
In an Oct. 8 statement, President Trump said Israel would also withdraw its troops from Gaza “under agreement,” declaring the agreement a first step toward lasting and lasting peace in the region.
“Today is a great day for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, neighboring countries, and the United States of America,” President Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “I thank the mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for working together to make this historic and unprecedented event possible.”
The announcement came after President Trump said he was considering a last-minute trip to the Middle East to help finalize a deal that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and the militant group Hamas first announced their support for last week.
This comes after repeated failed attempts to defuse the two-year war, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.
Israeli military operations in response have killed more than 66,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
The first phase of the agreement expected hostages to be released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. There are 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
In a statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked President Trump for his commitment to the deal and expressed his desire to expand peace with Israel’s neighbors.
“This is a great day for Israel. Tomorrow we will convene the government to approve the deal and bring all our precious hostages home,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said.
As part of its plan, Hamas is keen to hand over control of Gaza to a coalition of Palestinian technocrats. It is less willing to disarm completely and is not committed to playing no further role in governing Gaza.
Negotiators from Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and the United States met for several days in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and on behalf of the United States, Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
A deal appeared to be on the horizon when President Trump said on the afternoon of October 8 that he was considering a visit to Egypt. President Trump said at the time, “We are in the final negotiations with Hamas, and they seem to be going well.”
