Topline
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace deal that includes the full release of hostages and partial Israeli troop withdrawal out of Gaza, which the president suggested he would consider visiting at the end of the week.
Trump said in a Truth Social post that all hostages “will be released very soon” under the deal’s first phase and that Israeli troops in Gaza will withdraw “to an agreed upon line.”
Trump’s plan proposes three phases of an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza that Israel has agreed to: The final stage of withdrawal leaves roughly 15% of Gaza under Israeli control until “Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.”
The announcement came after Trump told reporters that Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave him a note “saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they’re going to need me pretty quickly.”
Israel’s invasion of Gaza has persisted for nearly two years after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 surprise attack against Israel, with various peace talks and ceasefires failing in the region since.
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“I would. I might do that,” Trump said in response to a reporter asking if he would consider going to Gaza to see what things are like on the ground. The president added, “I’ll be going to Egypt, most likely, that’s where everybody is gathered right now.” Trump will visit Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday for his routine yearly checkup, according to a statement from the White House, which noted the president will “consider going to the Middle East shortly thereafter.”
Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci appeared to capture an image of the note Rubio handed to Trump. “Very close. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first,” the note appeared to read.
A senior Hamas official told AFP, “A spirit of optimism prevails among all,” making the comment after the militant group submitted a list of prisoners it wants released in the truce’s first phase. Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi said messages he has received about the peace deal were “very encouraging,” NBC News reported, noting Israel has not commented on Hamas’ statement.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan has been mostly agreed to by Israel and partially agreed to by Hamas, with some disagreements materializing on the matters of disarmament and the future of Gaza’s governance and borders. The plan calls for Hamas to be disarmed, though the group has not indicated it intends to agree to disarmament, something it has said it would only do if a Palestinian state is established. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said "Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised – either the easy way or the hard way.” Gaza will be transitionally governed by a “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee” made up of “qualified Palestinians and international experts,” according to the plan. However, the committee will be overseen by a “Board of Peace” headed and chaired by Trump.