President hails ‘historic’ breakthrough as hostages set to be released and Israeli troops to withdraw from agreed line in Gaza
President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have both agreed to the first phase of his proposed peace plan, marking a potential breakthrough in efforts to end the two-year conflict in Gaza. The announcement came as negotiations entered their third day in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump declared 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.
The president described it as “a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America.” He thanked mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey “who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen.”
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry confirmed significant progress in the negotiations. Spokesman Dr Majed Al-Ansari stated that an agreement was reached on key provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase, including the release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to bring all the hostages home. “With God’s help, we will bring them all home,” Netanyahu said following Trump’s announcement. His office stated Israel would “immediately implement the first phase of Trump’s plan for the immediate release of all hostages.”
There are currently 48 hostages held in Gaza, with approximately 20 believed to be still alive. The remainder are deceased, their bodies held by Hamas since the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Trump’s announcement represents a major diplomatic victory for his administration, which has pursued the peace deal with increasing urgency as the second anniversary of the October 7 terror attacks approached. The attacks saw Hamas-led militants kill approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnap 251 others.
The president’s 20-point peace proposal outlined last week calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages within 72 hours, an Israeli troop withdrawal to agreed positions, and the eventual handover of Gaza’s governance to an international body.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was photographed on Wednesday handing Trump a note during a roundtable meeting that read: “Very close. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” The image captured the administration’s eagerness to claim credit for the breakthrough.
The negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh have focused on addressing key obstacles to implementing Trump’s plan. Dr Al-Ansari explained that talks centred on “identifying the key obstacles hindering the implementation” and “clarifying the practical details of its execution.”
These details include the deployment of international forces in Gaza, the exchange of captives and prisoners, and ensuring humanitarian aid reaches the besieged territory. Qatar’s spokesman emphasised that “all parties involved are strongly supportive of the plan and are working toward consensus.”
Hamas responded positively to Trump’s proposal on Friday, October 3, agreeing to release all remaining hostages and hand over Gaza’s administration to “a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats), based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support.”
Trump had issued an ultimatum to Hamas, demanding acceptance of his plan by Sunday evening, October 5, or face “all HELL, like no one has ever seen before.” The group’s conditional acceptance came within the deadline.
Following Hamas’s response, Trump ordered Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza” to allow safe extraction of the hostages. Israeli leaders subsequently ordered military forces to reduce activity “to a minimum” and carry out defensive actions only.
However, Gaza residents reported continued shelling overnight and multiple airstrikes throughout the weekend, raising concerns about compliance with the de-escalation orders. A senior Hamas official told CNN that a ceasefire deal is “very close,” but details regarding the list of prisoners to be released are still being discussed.
The proposed withdrawal line for Israeli troops represents one of the most contentious issues. According to Trump’s map, posted on Truth Social, Israeli forces would remain as far as 6.5 kilometres inside southern Gaza, two kilometres inside central Gaza and 3.5 kilometres inside northern Gaza after hostage release.
This represents a significant increase in Israeli territorial control compared with previous proposals presented by mediators in mid-July, when the deepest Israeli line of control stretched only 1.6 kilometres into Gaza. Hamas has historically sought to push Israeli lines further back.
Dr Al-Ansari cautioned that “the issue of an immediate ceasefire from the Israeli side hinges on the Israeli government, which was expected to halt military operations after declaring its commitment to the Trump plan. However, the continued military activity on the ground contradicts that assertion.”
The Trump plan envisions Gaza eventually being placed under international governance, with the president himself and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair proposed as overseers. The territory would be run by what Trump has dubbed the “Board of Peace.”
Critical elements remain unresolved, including Hamas’s disarmament, the timing and extent of Israeli troop withdrawal beyond the initial phase, and the creation of an international security force. Hamas’s response made no mention of disarming or decommissioning weaponry, a key demand in Trump’s proposal that the group has repeatedly rejected.
Netanyahu has insisted throughout negotiations that Hamas must surrender and disarm, whilst Hamas has maintained it will only release hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal. These fundamental positions have remained at odds throughout two years of intermittent negotiations.
Trump indicated that thornier issues would be addressed in subsequent phases. “When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal,” he wrote on Truth Social.
The president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and former adviser, travelled to Egypt for negotiations alongside senior Israeli and Hamas delegations. The Hamas delegation is led by senior official Khalil Al-Hayya, whom Israel attempted to assassinate in a strike on Qatar last month.
Israel’s delegation is headed by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close ally of Netanyahu. The indirect talks have also included representatives from Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, both militant groups that hold hostages.
Thousands of Israelis gathered at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv throughout the weekend, holding banners reading “It’s now or never” and urging implementation of Trump’s deal. Former hostage Gadi Mozes, 80, who returned from captivity in January, told demonstrators: “We do not have the privilege to rest.”
On the opposing side, pro-Palestine demonstrations took place across Western cities, though many Palestinians in Gaza expressed scepticism about Trump’s proposal. Critics argue the plan favours Israel heavily and provides no path for eventual reunification with the Israeli-occupied West Bank in a future Palestinian state.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The United Nations and international organisations generally consider the ministry’s figures the most reliable statistics on war casualties available.
The conflict has reduced much of Gaza to rubble, with experts determining that Gaza City had slid into famine shortly before Israel launched a major offensive to occupy it. Thousands of trucks loaded with medical and food supplies are waiting for Israel’s permission to enter the besieged territory.
Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners have slammed Trump’s proposal, arguing it does not go far enough to maintain leverage over Hamas or eventually eradicate the militant group. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have both expressed reservations about any withdrawal from Gaza.
Trump suggested he may travel to Egypt this weekend to personally announce a full ceasefire deal, though the White House has not confirmed specific travel plans. The president told reporters he would do “everything possible to make sure everyone adheres to the deal” if both sides finalise the agreement.
International leaders welcomed the progress. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged all parties to “seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end.” Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised Trump’s efforts and called for “immediate commitment to a complete ceasefire.
Egypt and Qatar, both deeply involved in mediation efforts, expressed cautious optimism. Dr Al-Ansari stated that Qatar “maintains emotional neutrality while exerting significant diplomatic effort and holding a deep conviction in the necessity of ending this humanitarian catastrophe.”
Netanyahu credited the breakthrough to military pressure on Hamas combined with diplomatic coordination with Trump. “Instead of Israel being isolated, Hamas is isolated, and as a result, Hamas was pressured to agree to the plan we brought forward,” the Israeli prime minister claimed.
Whether the agreement holds remains uncertain. Previous ceasefire attempts, including one in March, broke down over accusations of violations by both sides and failure to progress beyond initial phases. This deal marks the most comprehensive peace proposal since the January ceasefire that saw 33 hostages released.
Trump’s announcement comes nearly two years to the day after the October 7 attacks that triggered the conflict. The attacks represented the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust and fundamentally altered the security landscape of the Middle East.
The president concluded his announcement with the biblical phrase: “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” His administration views the potential deal as vindication of its approach to Middle East diplomacy and proof that his negotiating style can succeed where previous administrations failed.
As negotiations continue in Sharm el-Sheikh, families of hostages wait anxiously for concrete details about when their loved ones might return home. The coming days will prove whether Trump’s optimistic announcement represents a genuine breakthrough or another false dawn in the long, bloody conflict.
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