U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday on Truth Social that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first phase of a Gaza peace plan, reported Xinhua.
"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," Trump wrote.
He thanked mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye for the "historic and unprecedented event."
Speaking to reporters earlier in the day at the White House, Trump said he may travel to the Middle East "sometime toward the end of the week."
Israel and Hamas began indirect negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announced on Thursday that it has reached an agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip, ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces, allow the entry of humanitarian aid, and carry out a prisoner exchange.
Earlier, the mediators in the Israel-Hamas talks said that an agreement covering all provisions and implementation mechanisms related to the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal has been reached and a final draft of the agreement is under way, Egypt's Al-Qahera News TV reported on Thursday.
Since the war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli airstrikes have devastated the Gaza Strip, causing widespread famine and displacement, and killing at least 67,183 people and injuring 169,841 others, according to Gaza's health authorities.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
