Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas agreed to first phase of Gaza truce deal

The President said it is a "great day" for the Arab, Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding nations and the US.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "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!"

As per a report by BBC News, Hamas has agreed to the deal but it is yet to receive the final list of prisoners to be released by Israel in exchange.

Thanking President Trump for his "leadership", "partnership" and "commitment", Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the deal "a diplomatic success and moral victory" of the country.

Netanyahu wrote on X, "With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home. This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel. From the beginning, I made it clear: we will not rest until all our hostages return and all our goals are achieved.

"Through steadfast resolve, powerful military action, and the great efforts of our great friend and ally President Trump, we have reached this critical turning point. I thank President Trump for his leadership, his partnership, and his unwavering commitment to the safety of Israel and the freedom of our hostages. God Bless Israel. God Bless America. God Bless our great alliance."

A ceasefire will be in effect when the Israeli government is approved at 14:00 Jerusalem time.

Israel and Hamas began indirect talks on Monday, aiming to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The ceasefire deal was achieved a day after the second anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and saw around 250 hostages taken into Gaza.

In response, Israel had launched a massive military campaign against Hamas in the enclave. Since then, 67,160 people have been killed in Gaza, including 18,000 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, the BBC reported.

An estimated 48 hostages remain captive in Gaza, with around 20 believed to be alive and 28 presumed dead, according to Israeli assessments.