Israel and Hamas Agree to ‘First Phase’ of a Peace Deal. Here’s What We Know

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza, Trump announced, hailing what he called a “strong” and “durable” peace after more than two years of conflict. “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. “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!” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene his government on Thursday to approve the agreement, and thanked Trump and his team. “With God’s help we will bring them all home,” Netanyahu said in a post on X. Hamas announced what it described as a deal “stipulating an end to the war on Gaza, the occupation’s withdrawal from it, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange.” In a post on Telegram, the group urged Trump and mediators “to compel the occupation government to fully implement the obligations of the agreement and to prevent it from evading or delaying implementation.” Trump outlined the 20-point plan last week at the White House during a briefing with Netanyahu. Negotiators have been meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to finalize details amid continued Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. After Trump threatened Hamas last Friday to let “all hell” break loose against the militant group should they not agree to the deal by the following Sunday, Hamas agreed in principle to the proposal with some adjustments requested. “This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America,” Trump wrote, thanking “the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS! Over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed with more than 169,000 also injured since the start of the Israel-Hamas War, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The war was triggered when Hamas launched a terror attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 people and taking another 250 people hostage. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.