US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, October 8, that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his peace plan, following talks in Egypt on ending the war in Gaza.
"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 his Truth Social network.
"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."
After Trump reported the deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said Israel would bring home all the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
"With God's help we will bring them all home," Netanyahu's office said in a brief statement.
The war began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.