President Donald Trump made an announcement with great significance: the ‘first phase’ of his plan to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza has been officially signed.
This initial stage, described in vivid detail, encompasses a critical pause in the ongoing fighting.
Additionally, it includes the compassionate release of both Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, highlighting a notable step forward in the effort to restore peace and humanity.
The White House said that it expects hostages to be released Monday. Forty-eight hostages remain to be returned, of which Israel says it believes 20 are still alive.
The agreement comes almost two years to the day after the Hamas attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people killed. Since then, more than 67,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The head of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has welcomed the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a Gaza peace deal.
In a statement on social media, Abbas “welcomed the announcement by US President Donald Trump of an agreement to cease the war on the Gaza Strip” and “expressed hope that these efforts would be a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution … leading to an end to the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.”
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has welcomed the agreement by Israel and Hamas, which he said would “establish a ceasefire and end the war in Gaza after two years of suffering and woes.”
He said the agreement was a “historic moment” that “not only closes the chapter of war. It also opens the door of hope for the peoples of the region for a future defined by justice and stability.”
The agreement was reached after days of talks hosted by Egypt, a key mediator throughout the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, in the beach resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he is very glad about Israel and Hamas agreeing to the first phase of a ceasefire in Gaza under the plan proposed by US President Donald Trump.
“I am greatly pleased that the Hamas-Israel talks … have resulted in a ceasefire in Gaza. I especially thank the US president, Mr. Trump, who demonstrated the necessary political will to encourage the Israeli government toward the ceasefire,” Erdogan said on his official X account.
He added that Turkey would “closely monitor the strict implementation of the agreement.”
Turkey had a team in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh for the negotiations that led to the current agreement.