UNITED States President Donald Trump has announced a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Palestine as part of the first phase of his plan to end the war in Gaza, which has claimed over 67,000 lives and transformed the Middle East.
The deal was announced by Trump late Wednesday, 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,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“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,” Trump added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that, “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.”
Hamas also confirmed it had reached a deal to end the war, stating that the agreement provides for an Israeli withdrawal from the enclave and a hostage-for-prisoner exchange.
Meanwhile, a source familiar with the agreement revealed to Reuters on Thursday that Israeli hostages could be freed on Saturday, and the Israeli military would launch the initial phase of a partial withdrawal from the enclave within 24 hours of the deal’s conclusion.
The source explained thag the agreement is scheduled to be signed at noon on Thursday, Israel time (0900 GMT), while Israel’s security cabinet and government are due to hold meetings on the agreement at 5 p.m. Israel time (1400 GMT).
A Hamas source said the surviving hostages would be released within 72 hours after the Israeli government approves the deal noting that retrieving the bodies of deceased hostages, estimated at around 28 would take more time due to the extensive destruction in Gaza.
The conflict shifted the balance of power in the Middle East in Israel’s favor, following its assassinations of leaders from Iran-backed Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, the killing of senior Iranian commanders, and heavy strikes on Yemen’s Houthis.
But global outrage intensified over Israel’s offensive, with numerous human rights experts, scholars, and a United Nations inquiry describing it as genocide, while Israel, insists its actions are an act of self-defense following the 2023 Hamas attack.
According to Gaza authorities, more than 67,000 people have been killed and large parts of the enclave have been destroyed since Israel launched its military campaign in response to the Hamas cross-border attack on October 7, 2023.
Israeli officials report that about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage to Gaza, with 20 of the 48 remaining captives believed to be alive.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.