“I am very proud to announce that both Israel and Hamas have approved Phase One of the Peace Plan,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on October 8. “This means that all hostages will soon be released, and Israel will withdraw its forces to the agreed boundaries. These are the first steps toward a lasting, solid, and permanent peace.”
“All parties will be treated fairly! Today is a historic day for the Arab and Muslim world, for Israel, for its neighboring countries, and for the United States. We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked together to make this unprecedented event possible,” he added.
Hamas confirmed the announcement on October 9, urging Trump and the mediating nations to ensure Israel fully complies with the ceasefire. The group said it would exchange all surviving hostages for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails within 72 hours of the agreement taking effect.
According to AP sources, Hamas is expected to release 20 living hostages by the end of this week, while Israel will withdraw troops from most areas of Gaza.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he would convene a cabinet meeting on October 9 to approve the agreement. Following Trump’s statement, Netanyahu affirmed that Israel would “bring home all hostages from Gaza.”
Trump unveiled his 20-point plan in late September, aimed at ending the Gaza conflict, which has received backing from Israel and several Arab and Muslim countries. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages within 72 hours of the agreement, the disarmament of Hamas, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Post-conflict governance would be overseen by a “Peace Council” chaired by Trump himself.
Delegations from Israel and Hamas have been negotiating in Egypt, joined by senior officials from Qatar, Turkey, and the United States acting as mediators. At a White House event on October 8, Trump said he was “very likely” to travel to Egypt on October 11 or 12.
The Israel–Hamas conflict erupted in October 2023 after the militant group launched attacks that killed more than 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 251 people. Of those, 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed to be alive. Israel’s subsequent military campaign has devastated the enclave. Gaza’s health ministry reported on October 8 that nearly 67,200 Palestinians have been killed and more than 169,800 injured, most of them civilians.