President Trump Announces Israel And Hamas Approve ‘Initial Stage’ Of Gaza Peace Deal

United States President Donald Trump has declared that both Israel and Hamas have agreed to the initial stage of a proposed peace plan for Gaza.

In a message shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, President Trump stated, “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 extended his gratitude to mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for their contributions to what he termed a ‘historic and unprecedented event’.

Earlier on Wednesday, while addressing reporters at the White House, the President mentioned that he might visit the Middle East ‘toward the end of the week’ to further the peace efforts.

Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas began on Monday in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, focusing on a Gaza ceasefire arrangement.

Egypt’s Al-Qahera News TV reported that mediators in the discussions confirmed reaching a consensus on all terms and mechanisms for the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Sources say the final draft of the agreement is nearly ready.

The arrangement will likely pave the way for ending hostilities, securing the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees, and facilitating the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

The report further noted to share further details later.

The announcement followed three days of indirect negotiations between Israeli and Hamas representatives in Sharm el-Sheikh, centred around the peace proposal put forward by President Trump, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.

Wednesday’s session included delegations from the United States, Qatar, and Turkey, alongside representatives from both Israel and Hamas.

Egyptian President Expresses Optimism

In a televised address the same day, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi described the talks as ‘progressing positively’, expressing optimism about their outcome.

Since the conflict began on 7 October 2023, Israeli airstrikes have caused widespread devastation across the Gaza Strip, resulting in famine, mass displacement, and significant loss of life.

According to Gaza’s health authorities, at least 67,183 people killed and 1,69,841 injured since the start of the war.

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