Israel and Hamas have reached a peace deal, President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening announced on his social media platform Truth Social.
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump wrote.
“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,” the president continued. “All Parties will be treated fairly! 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!”
Hamas and Israel are expected to sign the agreement Thursday, which will include the immediate release of the remaining 20 living hostages still in Gaza and an immediate ceasefire, according to The Times of Israel.
“With God’s help, we will bring them all home,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on the social media platform X immediately after Trump announced the deal.
In addition to the 20 living hostages, the remains of 28 other hostages remain in Gaza.
On Thursday, Netanyahu said, he will “convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home.”
“I thank the heroic soldiers of the [Israel Defense Forces] and all the security forces, thanks to whose courage and sacrifice we have reached this day,” he said. “I thank from the depths of my heart President Trump and his team for their mobilization for this sacred mission of releasing our hostages.”
“With the help of the Almighty, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbors,” the prime minister added.
The agreement to the first phase of the deal comes about 10 days after Trump presented a 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, disarm Hamas, and bring all the hostages home. Israel accepted Trump’s full plan, and Hamas accepted parts of the plan, but said “details” needed to be negotiated.
Mediators from the U.S., Turkey, and Qatar have been in Egypt for three days working to reach a deal both Israel and Hamas could agree to. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who worked to broker the Abraham Accords, arrived in Egypt late Tuesday night alongside Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East. Kushner’s arrival was reported to indicate that a deal was close to being reached.
During a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, Trump indicated he may travel to the Middle East himself this week. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has invited Trump to Egypt for the signing of the peace deal.
Pro-Israel advocate Aviva Klompas celebrated the news, writing on X, there are “intense and emotional days ahead—but for now, the weight feels just a little bit lighter.”
Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, praised Netanyahu, Trump, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their work to reach a deal to end the war and bring the hostages home, but celebrated the news with caution.
“This deal offers a path forward, but only if Hamas honors its commitments,” Pfluger said. “We remain vigilant and eager to see this agreement implemented completely.”
The agreement was reached two years and one day after Hamas terrorists carried out an attack in Israel that left 1,200 people dead. Hamas also took 251 hostages back to Gaza.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
