WASHINGTON — Israel and Hamas have reached the “first phase” of a peace plan aimed at halting hostilities and releasing hostages and prisoners, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, describing it as the most significant breakthrough in months of conflict.
“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,” Trump wrote on social media. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the development, posting, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” Hamas, in a separate statement, said the deal includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, the entry of humanitarian aid, and an exchange of hostages and prisoners.
According to people familiar with the matter, Hamas is expected to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, while Israel will begin withdrawing its forces from most of Gaza.
The agreement, finalized in Egypt after several days of negotiations, represents the most substantial progress since a January–February deal that saw Israeli hostages freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
It remains unclear whether the parties made headway on more contentious issues, such as Hamas’ potential demilitarization, a key U.S. demand, or the future governance of Gaza.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military response has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated much of Gaza, and reshaped global diplomatic dynamics.
Trump earlier hinted at optimism for a breakthrough, saying he was considering a trip to the Middle East “within days.” During the same event, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly handed Trump a note on White House stationery reading, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce the deal first.” Truth Social is Trump’s preferred social media platform.
Moments later, Trump told attendees, “We’re very close to a deal in the Middle East.”
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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