BREAKING: Gaza War to End as Hamas Confirms First Phase Agreement
Hamas and Israel have reached the first phase of a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire under Trump’s plan, ending the war, ensuring Israeli withdrawal, and initiating a prisoner exchange.
US President Donald Trump announced early on Thursday that Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas have signed the first phase of his proposed peace plan, calling it “a great day for the Arab and Islamic world, Israel, and the United States.”
Trump said the agreement includes the imminent release of all Israeli captives and a withdrawal of Israeli forces to an agreed-upon line as “the first steps toward a strong and lasting peace.”
In a post on Truth Social, the US president thanked the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye, stressing that “all parties will be treated fairly.”
For its part, Hamas confirmed that it had reached an agreement to end the genocidal war on Gaza, ensure the full withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces, allow the entry of humanitarian aid, and implement a comprehensive prisoner exchange.
In a detailed statement, Hamas said that “after responsible and serious negotiations conducted by the movement and the Palestinian resistance factions regarding President Trump’s proposal in Sharm El-Sheikh, aiming to reach a ceasefire to stop the genocidal war against our Palestinian people and the withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip, (…) Hamas announces reaching an agreement to end the war on Gaza, the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from it, the entry of aid, and the exchange of prisoners.”
The movement expressed “deep appreciation for the efforts of the brotherly mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey,” and also “valued the efforts of US President Donald Trump seeking to permanently stop the war and ensure the full withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza.”
Hamas called on “President Trump, the guarantor countries of the agreement, and various Arab, Islamic, and international parties to force the occupation government to fully implement the agreement’s clauses and not allow it to renege on its promises or delay the implementation of what has been agreed upon today.”
The statement also paid tribute to the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, saluting “our great people in the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem, the West Bank, and in exile, who displayed unprecedented stances of dignity, heroism, and honor in confronting the fascist occupation project targeting them and their national rights.”
Israeli Channel 12 reported that the agreement will be formally signed on Thursday, with the first exchange of detainees expected over the weekend.
Hamas affirmed that “the sacrifices of our people will not be in vain, and we will remain committed to the pledge and will not abandon our people’s national rights until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved.”
During a live roundtable at the White House, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was seen handing President Trump a memo, which CNN later reported contained details suggesting that “an agreement on Gaza was very close.”
Agence France-Presse confirmed that Washington was already drafting the text of Trump’s expected speech to announce the deal.
Trump told reporters that he might “head to the Middle East before the hostages are released,” possibly visiting Egypt. When asked whether he would consider visiting Gaza, he replied, “I might, but I haven’t made a specific decision yet.”
The White House later announced that Trump would undergo a routine annual medical checkup on Friday and was considering traveling to the region afterward.
