Israel, Hamas Agree to Phase One of Ceasefire Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump announced late on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the “first phase” of his plan to secure the release of all hostages and end the Gaza war, two years and a day after the fighting was sparked by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel.

“This means that ALL of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw [its] troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable and everlasting Peace,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

He later hailed the accord as “a great day for the world,” saying, “The whole world has come together on this one, Israel, every country has come together. This has been a fantastic day…  a wonderful day for everybody.”

Trump told Fox News that all the hostages would probably be released on Monday. “We think they will all be coming back on Monday… and that will include the bodies of the dead,” he said. “They [the hostages] are in a terrible situation there. They are deep, deep in the earth. As we speak, so much is happening to get the hostages freed.”

Other unconfirmed reports said all hostages would be freed by Monday, and indicated that Hamas would not hold the kind of propaganda ceremonies, on stage in front of large Gazan crowds, at which hostages were handed over to the Red Cross in previous deals.

Two sources familiar with the negotiations had earlier told The Times of Israel that Hamas would release all the remaining living hostages as early as Saturday. Twenty of the remaining 48 hostages are believed to be alive. All slain hostages that Hamas is able to locate are also to be released.

The deal will be formally signed at noon on Thursday in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh resort, the sources said, adding that the biggest issues in the Gaza talks have been resolved and what remains to be finalized is merely procedural.

Photographs and footage released from Sharm overnight Wednesday-Thursday showed various negotiators celebrating the success of the mediated Israel-Hamas talks. Israeli and Hamas delegations were not in the same room during the finalization of negotiations, a source present at the talks told The Times of Israel, after Egyptian media published footage that appeared to show the delegations on opposite sides of a square set up of tables in a conference center ballroom. The source clarified that the footage was comprised of two separate shots.

Trump is set to head to the region this weekend. Invited by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the Knesset, in a phone call they held some two hours after he announced the deal, the president indicated he would do so.

“All parties will be treated fairly!” Trump stressed on Truth Social, in a message widely understood to be directed at Hamas, which has sought guarantees from the American leader that he will not allow Israel to resume the war once the hostages are released.

“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,” Trump continued.

“BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” he added.

Cabinet to Meet on Thursday to Ratify Deal

Within seconds of Trump’s post, Netanyahu issued a statement saying, “With God’s help, we will bring them all home.”

“A great day for Israel,” the premier said in a subsequent statement.

“I will convene the cabinet tomorrow [Thursday] to ratify the agreement and bring all our precious hostages home,” he said. The cabinet is expected to approve the deal with a substantial majority, though ministers from the coalition’s two far-right parties may not back it.

Netanyahu thanked Israel’s soldiers, “whose courage and sacrifice have brought us to this day,” along with Trump and his aides, “for their commitment to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages.”

“With God’s help, together, we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbors,” Netanyahu added.

In a third statement, in English, Netanyahu wrote: “With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home. This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.”

“From the beginning, I made it clear: we will not rest until all our hostages return and all our goals are achieved. Through steadfast resolve, powerful military action, and the great efforts of our great friend and ally, President Trump, we have reached this critical turning point. I thank President Trump for his leadership, his partnership, and his unwavering commitment to the safety of Israel and the freedom of our hostages,” the prime minister wrote.

Soon after Trump announced the deal, he and Netanyahu spoke by phone, and the prime minister invited the president to address the Knesset when he comes to the region this weekend. Trump told Channel 12’s Barak Ravid he would likely come to Israel and speak in the Knesset. “They want me to give a speech at the Knesset and I will definitely do that if they want me to,” Trump said. “It is a great day for Israel and for the world. My call with Bibi was great. He is so happy. He should be. It is a great achievement. The whole world has come together to reach this deal, including countries that were enemies.”

Netanyahu’s office said, “The two held a very emotional and warm conversation, congratulating one another on the historic achievement of signing the agreement for the release of all the hostages.”

In its own statement confirming the deal, Hamas said it had reached an agreement that ends the war, withdraws Israeli troops, secures the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and ensures the release of Palestinian prisoners. Nearly 2,000 of them will be released as part of the deal, including 250 serving life sentences.

The Hamas statement thanked the mediators, including Trump, “who has worked to bring about a complete and final cessation of the war and the full withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip.”