US President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a peace framework aimed at achieving a Gaza ceasefire and the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, Al Jazeera reported.
The announcement follows Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war on Gaza, which he unveiled last week. Israel, Hamas, and most of the international community have broadly welcomed the proposal. More than 67,000 people have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza, which many global rights groups and a United Nations commission have described as genocidal.
Trump revealed the development late on Wednesday, saying Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first step of his Gaza ceasefire plan. In a post on Truth Social at 23:17 GMT, he wrote that all captives would be released “very soon” and that Israel will pull its troops back to an agreed line as part of the deal.
Earlier in the day, Trump told reporters he was ready to travel to the Middle East as soon as this weekend to help advance the peace process. His announcement came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio handed him a note during a White House event, prompting Trump to tell reporters: “I was just given a note by the Secretary of State saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they’re going to need me pretty quickly.”
Concluding the event, Trump added, “I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East.” According to reports, the note urged him to sign off on a Truth Social post to be the first to announce the agreement.
In his post, Trump stated that both Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of the peace plan. He said all captives would be released soon, Israeli troops would withdraw to an agreed line, and that this would mark the first step toward “a strong and durable peace.” He also thanked Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye for their mediation efforts.
The deal marks the most significant diplomatic breakthrough Trump has achieved in the Gaza genocide after eight months of negotiation attempts. Ending the war has been one of his key foreign policy priorities during his re-election campaign.
However, important details remain unresolved. Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara said there were still “some serious disagreements” between Israel and Hamas, including the timing and extent of an Israeli withdrawal, Gaza’s post-war governance, and the future of Hamas.
“You could say that the initial phase of the initial phase is working out,” Bishara said, noting that both sides appeared to have agreed on parameters for a captive-prisoner exchange. He added, “According to the [Trump] plan, after Hamas hands over the captives, then the war should be over. But Israel says no, the war will be over only after Hamas disarms.”
Trump told Fox News that captives could be released as early as Monday, including the bodies of those who have died. A Hamas source said the surviving captives would be freed within 72 hours of Israel’s approval of the deal, while Israeli officials suggested the process could begin on Saturday. Trump also said he believed Iran would be part of “the whole peace situation.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the deal, calling it “a great day for Israel.” He said, “I offer my heartfelt thanks to President Trump and his team for their dedication to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages. With God’s help, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and enhance peace with our neighbours.”
Hamas also confirmed the agreement, saying it included “an end to the war on Gaza, the occupation’s withdrawal from it, the entry of aid and a prisoner exchange.” The group thanked Qatar, Egypt, Turkiye, and Trump for their mediation and urged all parties to ensure Israel fully implements the deal.
Hamas stated, “We salute our great people in the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and the West Bank, who have demonstrated unparalleled pride, heroism, and honour.” The group reaffirmed its commitment to “achieve freedom, independence, and self-determination.”
Netanyahu said he will present the agreement to his cabinet on Thursday for approval. Once passed, Israeli forces will begin pulling back, and 72 hours later, Hamas is expected to start releasing captives.
Trump is expected to travel to Egypt in the coming days and has been invited by Netanyahu to address Israel’s parliament. He told Axios he is “likely” to make the trip.
The next stage of Trump’s plan includes the formation of an international body, the Board of Peace, to oversee Gaza’s post-war administration. Trump will chair the board alongside other world leaders, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.