Israel and Hamas have struck a deal for Hamas to release all remaining hostages and for Israel to withdraw its forces to an “agreed upon line,” President Trump announced Wednesday, in what he called the “first Phase” of a peace deal to end the two-year-long war.
“This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
Two regional sources told CBS News there is an agreement on all sides in principle on a hostage release, but procedural issues remain. Once those details are handled, it will be 48 hours before any release starts, sources said.
A senior White House official said the hostages could be released on Monday. The deal will go to Israel’s cabinet for approval on Thursday, and if it votes yes, the Israeli military will need to withdraw to an agreed-upon line in the Gaza Strip, which should take under 24 hours. Then Hamas will have 72 hours to release the hostages, the official said.
Majed al-Ansari, an adviser to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, also confirmed the deal, writing on X that an agreement was reached on “the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also released a short statement on the hostages that read, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.”
In a follow-up statement, Netanyahu said it was a “big day for Israel” and that he would “convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home.”
Hamas also confirmed in a statement it had reached an agreement.
The terrorist group praised Qatari, Egyptian and Turkish mediators in helping broker a deal, and specifically thanked Mr. Trump for his “efforts.” It also called on the president to ensure that Israel “fully complies with the terms of the agreement.”
In his earlier Truth Social post, Mr. Trump wrote: “All Parties will be treated fairly!”
The announcement came just hours after Mr. Trump said he may travel to the Middle East this weekend, and was open to potentially traveling to the Gaza Strip.
During an unrelated event at the White House on Wednesday, Mr. Trump read a note that was passed to him by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The president said Rubio’s note said negotiators were “pretty close to a deal,” and that they would “need him” pretty quickly.
A little over a week ago, Mr. Trump unveiled a 20-point peace plan at a White House meeting with Netanyahu, who expressed his full support for the proposal.
The current round of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 6 in Egypt, with Egyptian and Qatari officials acting as intermediaries. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, and Mr. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, had been expected to join the talks on Wednesday, days after Netanyahu confirmed he had sent a delegation “to close the technical details of the release of our hostages.”
The war in Gaza, which has roiled the Middle East, was sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. That attack killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken as hostages back into Gaza.
Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza against Hamas, which the U.S. and Israel consider a terrorist organization, has killed more than 67,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties.
Of the 251 hostages who were taken into Gaza, 148 were either freed as part of previous ceasefire agreements or rescued by Israeli forces, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The bodies of another 57 hostages were returned or recovered, the ministry says.
Mr. Trump’s peace plan had called for Hamas to release all 48 remaining hostages. Israel believes 20 of them are still alive. In return, Israel would release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, along with approximately 1,700 other Gazans detained since the start of the war.
Hamas said on Oct. 4 it agreed to key portions of Mr. Trump’s original proposal — including the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and relinquishing its governance of Gaza. But the group had said other parts of the plan needed to be further negotiated.
Middle East expert says U.S. pressure on Netanyahu made “critical difference” in reaching deal
Israel, Hamas reach deal to release all hostages, begin withdrawing troops, Trump says
Israel and Hamas agree to first phase of peace plan, Trump says
