The historic peace deal set to end the war in Gaza has multiple phases, setting up a timeline to end the bloodiest round of fighting between Israelis and Palestinians to date.
Trump told Fox News’s Sean Hannity that it was a “great honor” to be involved in the peace negotiations, and that the final deal saw the whole Middle East come together. He even boasted that some believed the deal would last “3,000 years.”
Here’s the slated timeline of this hoped-for lasting peace deal:

Oct. 8: Humanitarian aid flows in, Israeli Cabinet votes on deal, IDF withdraws to predetermined lines
The catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza reached new heights over the summer and prompted an unprecedented wave of Western pressure against Jerusalem. Last month, an independent commission gathered by the United Nations accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, while a food monitor alleged a famine began in August.
The U.N.-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said in August that half a million Gaza residents were “facing catastrophic conditions characterized by starvation, destitution, and death,” 1.07 million people were experiencing a food emergency, and the remaining 396,000 of the population were in a food crisis, citing “reasonable evidence.” The Hamas-overseen Gaza Health Ministry claimed that hundreds of Palestinians have died due to starvation and malnutrition.
Due to the dire conditions, the U.N. stated that its No. 1 priority was to flood the enclave with food and humanitarian supplies.
Two points of Trump’s 20-point peace agreement address humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The seventh point holds that “full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip” upon both parties’ agreement to the deal, at a minimum of the quantities included in the Jan. 19 ceasefire agreement. This includes the full “rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.”
The eighth point holds that aid will flow in “without interference” from Israel or Hamas, through the U.N., its agencies, and other recognized humanitarian aid organizations. This will shift aid distribution away from the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has exclusively handled humanitarian aid to Gaza for months.
The GHF told the Washington Examiner, “As of right now we plan to continue to deliver aid.”
The Israeli Cabinet voted to confirm the ceasefire on Thursday, setting off the 24-hour deadline for Israel Defence Forces troops to withdraw to a predetermined “yellow line.” The line will withdraw Israeli forces from most of Gaza City, but will still have Israel occupy 58% of the Gaza Strip. At the time of the ceasefire, Israel controlled roughly 80% of Gaza.
Notably, the yellow line area of control will put Israel in charge of all border crossings into Gaza.
Oct. 10-12: Trump visits Israel
Trump enjoyed rare, almost universal praise for his role in striking the peace agreement, including special thanks from most governments involved in the process, Israel, and even Hamas. He’s set to travel to Israel over the weekend to enjoy the praise of Israelis, many of whom have waved signs and led chants in his honor during celebrations in Tel Aviv.
Conflicting reports give a variety of times when Trump is expected to visit Israel, with an Israeli official telling the Times of Israel that “discussions are ongoing.” The Kan public broadcaster reported that the current timetable is for the president to land in Israel at 3 p.m. on Sunday and participate in a ceremony at Ben Gurion Airport. Ceremonies would follow in the Knesset and the Western Wall.
Trump hasn’t publicly confirmed his acceptance of speech invitations from the government or private groups, but the Hostages and Missing Families Forum invited him to speak at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.
“We would be deeply honored if you would meet with us during your upcoming visit to Israel,” the letter read. “We simply need the opportunity to look you in the eye and express what words alone cannot fully convey: that you gave us back our families, and with them, our hope.”
Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid concurred, saying, “There is nothing more fitting, more symbolic, more moving than a speech by President Trump in Hostages Square with the return home of our hostages. It would be a historic moment. I congratulate the families on the initiative.”
Israeli news source Ynet reported that Trump’s trip to the country will likely be brief and dependent on the timetable for the hostage releases.
Trump’s delegation visit would likely stay at the King David Hotel, a visit that would reportedly force the government to evict several guests.
Hostages Square was flooded with Israelis praising the U.S. leader on Thursday morning.
According to the report, the delegation would require two floors of the hotel, and guests will need to be evicted to accommodate Trump’s stay.
Oct. 12 and 13: All living hostages released, Palestinian prisoners released
Upon the IDF’s withdrawal to the yellow line 24 hours after the agreement was signed, a 72-hour deadline will begin for Hamas to produce all remaining living hostages. They are expected to be released sometime between Sunday and Monday.
A few of the 250 Israeli hostages were rescued by the IDF, partly due to the dispersed and decentralized nature in which they were kept. Some were held by Gazan families, while others were kept in the labyrinthine tunnels beneath Gaza. This decentralized distribution made it difficult for Hamas officials to keep track of all of them, causing issues when releases were arranged.
Intelligence indicates that out of the roughly 48 remaining hostages, only about 20 are still alive. These living hostages are in a poor state, having been kept in bad conditions for over two years. They have been seen in an emaciated state in proof-of-life and propaganda videos produced by Hamas.
Trump could coincide his visit to Israel to greet the released hostages personally.
Once all the hostages are released, Israel will then release a total of 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences. This also includes all women and children detained in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
Though the 20-point peace deal calls for all dead hostages to be returned to Israel as well, reports suggest the timetable for this is more murky.
Mid-October: Phase two
While the implementation and completion of the first phase represent a major breakthrough, the details of phase two hold the keys to a lasting peace. Negotiators overcame several major hurdles that derailed previous negotiations, including the governing status of Hamas post-war, an Israeli withdrawal, and Hamas disarmament, by kicking the can down the road. Upon completion of phase one, negotiators will have to decide on the specifics of these more contentious issues.
Some of the “serious disagreements” that will need to be solved in phase two include details on the timing and scope of Israel’s withdrawal, the makeup of Gaza’s government post-war, and the fate of Hamas, according to Al Jazeera senior political analyst Marwan Bishara.
TRUMP PRAISES MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES COLLABORATION ON PEACE DEAL: ‘THIS IS MORE THAN GAZA’
However, several reasons for optimism that the peace deal will hold exist. Hamas agreeing to turn over all Israeli hostages, its only remaining leverage over Israel, indicates that many overarching sticking points are largely resolved. Hamas is far more isolated than at any previous point, with its main foreign backers, primarily Iran and Turkey, openly supporting the ceasefire agreement.
On Israel’s side, Trump was able to strong-arm Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into accepting the deal after his controversial strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar. His force of personality and popularity among Israelis was noted by many analysts as uniquely sufficient to constrain the Israeli government.