WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of his 20-point Gaza peace plan, following days of intensive indirect negotiations in Egypt.
President Trump announced on social media late on Wednesday that Hamas had agreed to release all the hostages being held inside Gaza 'very soon', while Israel has agreed to a phased withdrawal of its ground forces to 'an agreed upon line.'
Trump made the announcement that the world has been awaiting anxiously in a statement posted on Truth Social.
It marks 'the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace', according to him.
Trump added, '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!'
Trump later said the hostages will be coming back home on Monday.
Talking to the media in Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, '[I feel optimistic that we're going to get to a deal, hopefully,] that hostages will be released - all the hostages. There's good progress being made. There's still some work to be done. And obviously, part of that will be the end of hostilities, and then we'll move on to the intense work on how do you demobilize radical groups inside of Gaza and create a path for a better future for the people in Gaza. But it all begins with all the hostages coming home and I think we have to be optimistic, but there's still some work to be done.'
Rubio said that the hostages will be released within 72 hours.
'We're getting very positive reports, as of an hour ago. I guess it's nightfall over there already, but we feel we've made a lot of progress today, but there's still work to be done,' he told reporters.
Hamas has reportedly confirmed the deal calling on the international community to ensure Israel abides by its terms.
The deal will 'end the war on Gaza, ensure the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces, allow the entry of humanitarian aid, and implement a prisoner exchange', CBS quoted Hamas as saying.
However, the Palestinian militant outfit insisted that it will never abandon its people's national rights 'until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved.'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is against the idea of a two-state solution to the decades-old Middle East crisis, and his stand is seen as a sticking point to progress towards a comprehensive agreement and ceasefire.
Reports say that Hamas has not yet yielded to the clauses regarding its disarmament and exclusion from future governance of Gaza, the two key points in Trump's peace plan.
Netanyahu said it was a 'great day for Israel', adding that the Government would meet on Thursday to approve the first phase - including an immediate ceasefire, according to news reports.
The implementation of the first phase of the agreement is subject to ratification by the cabinet.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, 'I commend the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in brokering this desperately needed breakthrough.'
He urged 'all concerned to abide fully by the terms of the agreement,' including the release of hostages who have been held for over two years now in Gaza 'in a dignified manner.'
'Great news. Let's get the hostages out and surge aid in - fast,' The UN's humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher wrote on X.
He said his teams are 'fully mobilized to get the trucks moving at scale and save lives.'
Indirect talks between representatives of Israel and Hamas began in Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh Monday, aimed at negotiating terms of Trump's Gaza peace plan.
Hamas' deadly cross border attacks on 2023 October 7 had triggered Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of 67,194 people.
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