Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of the peace deal two years after the war in Gaza started, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday night.
The deal allows the release of the 48 remaining Israeli hostages, both dead and alive.
“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” he added.
The announcement comes hours after Trump revealed during a White House roundtable that a deal between Israel and Hamas was “very close” after Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispered the news into the president’s ear and gave him a note.
The note, as seen in a photo captured by the Associated Press, read, “Very close. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.”
Before the first phase of the peace deal was finalized, Trump said he may visit the Middle East by the end of the week. He would likely head to Egypt, where negotiators had been trying to work toward a peace plan for days. The final negotiations with Hamas were led by Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
In a statement, Hamas said the agreement stipulates “an end to the war on Gaza, the occupation’s withdrawal from it, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange.” Trump’s announcement did not include details about Hamas’s disarmament or the future governance of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to Trump’s post with a simple statement on social media referencing the hostages: “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” Netanyahu said the Israeli government will ratify the agreement with Hamas on Thursday.
In a follow-up post by Trump, family members of some of the remaining hostages thanked the president for his efforts to secure peace in the Middle East.
ISRAEL AGREES TO INITIAL WITHDRAWAL LINE FROM GAZA, TRUMP SAYS
The news comes one day after the two-year anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
It also comes two days before the Nobel Peace Prize is announced. Trump is under consideration for the award because of his role in ending multiple conflicts around the world.
