Israel and Hamas agree to first phase of Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza -  a ceasefire and hostage deal, Reuters reported.

Just a day after the second anniversary of the Hamas cross-border attack that triggered Israel's devastating assault on Gaza, indirect talks in Egypt yielded an agreement on the initial stage of President Trump’s 20-point framework to bring peace to the Palestinian enclave, Reuters reported.

Trump announced the deal late on Wednesday.

"I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan," Trump said on his Truth Social account.

"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 added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a written statement, referring to the hostages held by Hamas: "With God's help we will bring them all home,” according to Reuters.

Netanyahu phoned Trump to extend gratitude for brokering the deal.

Hamas confirmed it had reached an agreement to end the war, saying the deal includes an Israeli withdrawal from the enclave and a hostage-prisoner exchange. But the group called on Trump and guarantor states to ensure Israel fully implements the ceasefire, it added in a statement, according to Reuters.

Gaza authorities say more than 67,000 people have been killed and much of the enclave has been flattened since Israel began its military response to the Hamas cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage back to Gaza, Reuters reported citing Israeli officials, with 20 of the 48 hostages still held believed to be alive.

Details of the deal, such as whether Hamas would disarm and who would govern Gaza, were not immediately clear.

Trump later told Fox News that Hamas would most probably begin releasing hostages on October 13.