Israel, Hamas agree to first phase of Trump’s peace plan, setting stage for prisoner exchange

Israel and Hamas announced that they have agreed on the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan, which aims to end the Gaza war and includes a ceasefire and prisoner exchange.

Indirect negotiations held in Egypt between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza resulted in an agreement regarding the first phase of Trump’s 20-point framework.

However, the agreement announced by Trump on Wednesday night remained limited in detail and left many unanswered questions that could lead to collapse, as seen in previous peace efforts.

In his statement on Truth Social, Trump said, “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have approved the first phase of our Peace Plan. This means all prisoners will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw its forces to the agreed line. These steps will be the first steps toward a strong, lasting, and eternal peace.”

The successful completion of the agreement would mark a significant foreign policy success for Trump, who campaigned on the promise of bringing peace to conflicts but has struggled to achieve quick results both in Gaza and in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he would convene the government today to approve the agreement.

Netanyahu stated, “With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home,” asserting that this was “a diplomatic success, a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.”

Hamas confirmed that an agreement had been reached, announcing that the memorandum included an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a prisoner exchange.

Hamas issued a statement: “We confirm that the sacrifices of our people will not be in vain; we will remain true to our promise never to relinquish the national rights of our people until freedom, independence, and the right to self-determination are achieved.”

According to officials in Gaza, more than 67,000 people have been killed, and much of the enclave has been reduced to ruins due to the Israeli attacks launched in response to Hamas’s surprise raid on October 7, 2023.

Although hopes for ending the war are rising, critical details such as the timeline, the governance of post-war Gaza, and the future of Hamas remain unclear.

However, celebrations were observed in Gaza and Israel following the announcement.

Following the announcement of the ceasefire in Gaza, Trump personally called the families of some Israeli hostages, telling them that “all the hostages will return home on Monday.”

Connecting to a Fox broadcast, Trump stated that the living hostages and the remains of those who died would “likely” be handed over to Israel on Monday, October 13.

A Hamas source also said that the living prisoners would be handed over within 72 hours of the Israeli government approving the agreement. However, Hamas officials noted that recovering the remains of the deceased prisoners, estimated to be around 28, from under the rubble would take longer.

Furthermore, it was announced that Netanyahu and Trump spoke by phone, congratulating each other on the “historic achievement,” and the Israeli prime minister invited the US President to address the Israeli Knesset.

Following the ceasefire announcement, the Israeli military issued a warning that some areas in Gaza remain dangerous combat zones. The army reported that the siege of Gaza City continues and that returning to the area is “extremely dangerous.”

According to a Palestinian source, Hamas conveyed that it would not accept the demand to lay down arms as long as Israeli troops remain in Palestinian territory, stating that this issue is not open to negotiation.

The next phase of Trump’s plan envisions an international structure, led by Trump and including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, taking a role in the post-war administration of Gaza. While supporting Arab countries say this should ultimately lead to an independent Palestinian state, Netanyahu states that such a possibility will “never” happen.

There is no clarity on who will govern Gaza when the war ends. Netanyahu, Trump, Western, and Arab countries exclude Hamas’s role, yet Hamas has governed Gaza since 2007 when it drove rival Palestinian groups out of the area.

Hamas says it would only hand over the governance of Gaza to a Palestinian technocratic government supported by Arab and Muslim countries, under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority. It rejects any role for Blair or foreign administration.