Israel and Hamas have reached agreement on the “first phase” of the plan to suspend the fighting and release at least the 20 hostages still alive over the weekend when the architect of the agreement, Donald Trump, is expected to arrive in the Middle East, and perhaps also in Gaza, who announced the historic achievement on his social media platform Truth.
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed the first phase of our peace plan. This means that all hostages will be released very soon and Israel will withdraw its troops according to an agreed line, as the first step towards a strong and lasting peace”, wrote the American president at the end of a day in which there were increasingly clear signs that the agreement was imminent.
The clearest, that note that Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave to the tycoon during a round table on ‘Antifa’ in which his authorization was asked for the post on social media that would have allowed him to be the first to announce peace in Gaza. “This is a great day for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, all surrounding nations and the United States of America. We thank the mediators of Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, who collaborated with us to make this historic and unprecedented event possible. Blessed are the peacemakers!”, he wrote again.
“With God’s help, we will bring everyone home”, commented Benyamin Netanyahu who immediately called parliament to approve the plan and then called the American president. Joy exploded in the streets of Gaza and among the families of the hostages who sent a video message to Trump. Hamas declared that “the agreement determines the end of the war in Gaza, the withdrawal of the IDF, the entry of aid and the exchange of prisoners, after responsible and serious negotiations that the movement conducted together with the factions”. The group also expressed “deep appreciation for the efforts of the brother mediators of Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye, and of the American president.” But Hamas also asked Trump to pressure Israel to comply with the terms.
Very little is known about the details of the withdrawal of Israeli forces. A senior White House official told CNN that “once they vote for it, Israel will have to retreat to the line, which should take less than 24 hours.” After Israel leaves, the 72-hour deadline for the release of Israeli hostages will begin. “Our assessment is that the hostages will begin to be released on Monday,” the official said, although other sources did not rule out the possibility that the release could take place as early as Saturday or Sunday. According to the BBC, Israel rejected the release of Marwan Barghouti in the prisoner exchange deal, despite Hamas’ insistence on his release.
The historic agreement comes just two years after Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023 attack, in which Hamas killed around 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage. Since then, at least 67,183 have been killed by Israeli military operations in Gaza, including 20,179 children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
According to Hamas, 20 hostages will be released in exchange for 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, of which 250 sentenced to life imprisonment
The first phase of the deal to end the war in Gaza calls for Hamas to release 20 live hostages at once in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. A source from the Islamist movement told AFP.
The exchange must take place within 72 hours of the start of implementation of the agreement, which is expected to be signed today, this source familiar with the negotiations told AFP.
The hostages are to be released in exchange for the release of 250 Palestinians sentenced to life in prison and another 1,700 people arrested by Israel since the war began on October 7, 2023, the same source added.
According to ABC News, the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh focused on what would happen in the first days and weeks of the deal. The talks focused on a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a hostage exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Some of the more controversial points, such as the disarmament of Hamas and the issue of governance in Gaza, will have to be negotiated later.
Israel continues to bomb Gaza
Palestinian media reported that Israeli warplanes carried out heavy bombing of western areas of Gaza city at dawn. The sources said one of the raids targeted a house in Al Shati camp.
Al Jazeera correspondent reported that at dawn today Israeli warplanes carried out air strikes on the center of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. The journalist said the airstrikes were accompanied by artillery shelling that also targeted the city center.
The IDF also warned Palestinians not to approach Gaza City. The Israeli armed forces continue to surround Gaza City and consider it extremely dangerous to return there. The area north of Gaza is still considered a dangerous combat zone. It is necessary to refrain from returning north or approaching the areas where the army is deployed and operates in the Gaza Strip.
Trump: US will be involved in maintaining peace in Gaza. ‘The hostages should return on Monday, even the dead ones’
US President Donald Trump said the United States will help rebuild Gaza and keep it safe and peaceful, after Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of his peace plan.
“We will be involved in helping them succeed and keep the peace,” Trump told Fox News hours after the deal was announced, adding that he was “very confident that there will be peace in the Middle East.”
“I believe that the hostages will return on Monday and that the bodies of the dead ones will also be there,” the US president said.
Of the 251 people kidnapped in the Palestinian Islamist movement’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, 47 are still hostages in Gaza, 25 of whom are believed to have died, according to the Jewish state.
Trump announced that he intends to accept Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s invitation to speak in the Knesset, Axios reported. “They want me to give a speech to the Knesset and I will definitely do it if they want it,” Trump reportedly said, describing his telephone conversation with Netanyahu as “excellent” after the signing of the agreements between the Jewish state Hamas on the first phase of the peace plan.
CNN had reported that Israel is preparing for a possible Trump visit early next week.