Israel and Hamas have come to an agreement on the first phase of a peace deal that could bring an end to the two-year war that has killed thousands in Gaza.
Donald Trump announced that all of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in the war-torn Gaza Strip will be released.
The US President posted on Truth Social: ‘I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan.
‘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.
‘All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, ‘With God’s help we will bring them all home.’
Forty-eight hostages remain inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive.
The initial agreement was confirmed by Israeli officials and Hamas, as well as mediator Qatar.
Terror group Hamas said in a statement that they reached an agreement ‘stipulating an end to the war on Gaza, the occupation’s withdrawal from it, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange’.
They added: ‘We affirm that our people’s sacrifices will not be in vain, and that we will remain faithful to our pledge and will not abandon our people’s national rights: to achieve freedom, independence, and self-determination.’
It was not immediately clear whether the parties had made any progress on thornier questions about the future of the conflict, including whether Hamas will demilitarise, as Trump has demanded, and eventual governance of the war-torn territory.
It came after Trump said that he’s considering a trip to the Middle East as soon as Sunday.
It has been two years since thousands of Hamas-led militants poured into southern Israel after a surprise barrage of rockets.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.
Nearly 400 Israelis were killed and dozens abducted from the Nova music festival in the border community of Reim.
It says women and children make up around half the dead, and many independent experts say its figures are the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
The war has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government.
Israel’s offensive has displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of some two million, often multiple times, and restrictions on humanitarian aid have contributed to a severe hunger crisis, with experts saying Gaza City is experiencing famine.
Follow Metro on WhatsApp to be the first to get all the latest news
Metro’s on Whatsapp! Join our community for breaking news and juicy stories.