Breakthrough deal: Israel and Hamas agree to Trump’s peace plan phase one

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was seen whispering to President Donald Trump, informing him of a breakthrough in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.

“I was just given a note by the Secretary of State saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they’re going to need me pretty quickly. So I’ll take a couple more questions,” Trump said.

The development followed intensive negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh between U.S., Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish officials, along with delegations from Hamas and Israel.

Later, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform: “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have officially agreed to the first phase of our peace plan.”

Trump exerted pressure on both sides to reach the agreement. He pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept his 20-point plan, apologize to the Emir of Qatar, and offered security guarantees to Doha. Hamas was warned that rejecting the plan would have severe consequences.

Two years and two days after the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, the war ended, granting Gazans a temporary calm secured by the plan’s first phase.

The agreement calls for a ceasefire and the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other factions, both living and dead. It also includes Israel’s release of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences and 1,700 detainees arrested during the Gaza war. 

Israel is to begin a gradual withdrawal from Gaza to the line defined in Trump’s plan once the agreement is signed, along with the immediate entry of about 400 humanitarian aid trucks into the enclave.

If the first phase is completed next week as expected, talks will begin on the second phase, which will address Gaza’s reconstruction, governance, Hamas’ weapons, and the Israeli presence in remaining areas of the enclave.