Witkoff and Kushner flew from Egypt, where Israel and Hamas struck a deal to end the war in Gaza in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
“Look, I made seven deals, and now it's solved the wars. One going 31 years, one going 34 years, one going 35 years, one going 10 years,” Trump said at the White House on Oct. 9.
“I don't know what they're going to do, really, but I know this: nobody in history has solved eight wars in a period of nine months,” Trump said, referring to the Norwegian Nobel Institute.
The president also said that he didn’t broker any deals for the purpose of a prize: “I did it because I saved a lot of lives.”
Trump appeared alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who avoided saying outright whether Trump should win the peace prize, but said he believes Trump’s track record is “rather impressive.”
The Nobel Peace Prize winner is scheduled to be announced on Oct. 10 in Oslo, and nominations were finalized before the Israel–Hamas peace deal was announced this week.
“We're planning on leaving sometime Sunday, and I look forward to it,” he said in the Oval Office on Thursday.
Trump added that he hoped to be in the Middle East when the last 20 living hostages held by Hamas since Oct. 7, 2023, are released. The president reiterated that he expects all of the hostages to return home on Oct. 13 or 14.
“I want to congratulate you for what we have seen in the past 24 hours in Gaza. I think it's a historic deal,” said Stubb, sitting next to Trump in the Oval Office.
Stubb said he reviewed Trump’s 20-point plan to end the two-year war and praised the proposal.
“You really see all the key elements,” he said.
“And if someone would have said a few weeks back that you and your team are able to push us to a position where there will be a cease-fire, an exchange of prisoners, hostages, and then a pullback, I would not have believed it,” Stubb continued.
“But it's this is what diplomacy is at its best, and I think that's a potential huge deal. So congratulations.”
The first phase of the deal consists of releasing the remaining hostages, living and dead, in exchange for Israel gradually withdrawing from Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
“We declare an end to the war today and [the] start of a permanent cease-fire,” he said in a televised speech.
Al-Hayya added that the agreement includes opening the Rafah border crossing to and from Egypt, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and guarantees from the United States, Turkey, and Arab countries that the war in Gaza is permanently over.
“I will do it if they want me to,” Trump said.
Trump said he plans on traveling to the Middle East next week to oversee the implementation of the deal between Israel and Hamas.
“I think it will go down as a historic moment in the history of our country, and something our country should be very proud of that,” Rubio said.
Rubio recapped the events leading up to the deal, saying it began with Trump’s trip to the Middle East in May, forging relationships with the nations in the region, and Trump’s “historic meeting” at the United Nations with not only Arab countries, but also Muslim-majority nations including Indonesia and Pakistan.
Rubio also emphasized that the road to peace was "a human story" and celebrated the fact that 20 living hostages will finally come home after more than two years.
“There's a geopolitical aspect to it, there's no doubt about it,” he said.
“It creates the conditions for Gaza to one day be a normal place again, and people to have a better life, and Israelis to be safe. But yesterday was a human story,” Rubio said.
“Because of the work you put in, and honestly, not only is there no other leader in the world that could have put this together, Mr. President, but frankly, I don't know of any American president in the modern era that could have made this possible because of the actions you have taken unrelated to this.”
Celebrations have erupted across Israel and Gaza, as the region welcomes the agreement to the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Israel and the Hamas terrorist group.
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt regarding Trump’s 20-point peace plan resulted in an agreement on Oct. 8. The first phase of the deal includes the release of the remaining Israeli hostages within days in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
A cease-fire is expected to follow once Israel ratifies the agreement on Oct. 9.
News of the deal sparked jubilation on both sides. In Gaza, Palestinians poured into the streets of Khan Yunis, singing, dancing, and clapping in celebration. In Israel, families of hostages expressed gratitude to Trump for his role in brokering the agreement.
Palestinians celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
On the evening of Oct. 8, the families of several hostages joined U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a phone call with Trump.
A video shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum on X captured one family member saying: “Since you became a president, even before that, we trust you will fulfill the mission until [all] 48 of the hostages are home. Thank you so much. Blessed be the peacemakers.”
Lutnick also thanked Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, who is Trump’s son-in-law and a former Middle East envoy, for their efforts.
Rebecca Bohbot, the wife of hostage Elkana Bohbot, shared her gratitude in a message on X.
“I have no words left—only tears of joy. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for bringing them all home soon,” she said. “Thank you for making this happen. I am praying for the safe return of all the hostages, including Elkana. We love you, President Trump.”
Large crowds also gathered at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Oct. 9 to celebrate the agreement. In Jerusalem, Israelis expressed gratitude to both U.S. and Israeli leaders.
“So happy to hear the hostages are coming back,” one resident told Reuters. “Thank you, Trump. Thank you, Netanyahu.”
Some in the crowd were chanting that Trump should receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who put forward Trump’s name in July, said on Oct. 9 that Trump was deserving of the prize. The call comes just a day ahead of the announcement of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
People celebrate following the announcement of a Gaza cease-fire deal, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv on Oct. 9, 2025. (Maya Levin/AFP via Getty Images)
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents relatives of most of the Israeli hostages, invited the public to join them in solidarity, writing, “It’s not over until everyone comes home.”
Speaking from the square, Rotem Cooper—the son of Amiram Cooper, who was kidnapped from the Nir Oz kibbutz on Oct. 7, 2023, and later murdered in captivity—said in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle: “We’re like soldiers who went through a battle. There is no sense of relief, not yet. There would be a sense of relief when we see live hostages coming back.”
A recent poll by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute found that 66 percent of Israelis believe the time has come to end the war in Gaza. Those numbers reflect an increase of 13 percentage points from the same period last year.
The leading reason cited for ending the conflict was concern for the safety of hostages, mentioned by 50.5 percent of Jewish respondents and 34.5 percent of Arab respondents. The poll surveyed 800 respondents in Hebrew and 200 in Arabic, constituting a representative sample of the Israeli population older than 18.
World Reactions
Celebrations across Israel and Gaza come as world leaders also expressed gratitude to Trump for leading the peace efforts.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Oct. 9 commended the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey in brokering what he described as a “desperately needed breakthrough.”
“For Israelis and Palestinians alike, this deal offers a glimmer of relief, and that glimmer must become the dawn of peace, the beginning of the end of this devastating war,” he said.
Leaders from across Europe and the Middle East welcomed the deal and urged its implementation.
Netanyahu’s office said on Oct. 9 that the Israeli Security Cabinet will meet at 5 p.m. local time, followed by a government meeting at 6 p.m.
The war in Gaza has raged since Oct. 7, 2023, when terrorist groups led by Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing more than 250 hostages. Today, an estimated 20 hostages are still believed to be alive in captivity.
Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Oct. 9 called for U.S. President Donald Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for helping broker a peace deal between Israel and Hamas after two years of fighting.
“Give [Trump] the Nobel Peace Prize - he deserves it!” Netanyahu’s office said in a post on X.
The post includes what appears to be an artificial intelligence-generated image of Trump wearing an oversized medal around his neck as he stands next to Netanyahu amid cheering people and falling confetti.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner is scheduled to be announced on Oct. 10 in Norway. Nominations for the prize were finalized before the Israel–Hamas peace deal was announced this week.
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on the evening of Oct. 8. “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.”
Since taking office in January, Trump has suggested on multiple occasions that he deserves to win the prestigious prize for his work in Israel and in the mediation of other conflicts, including between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Thailand and Cambodia, and India and Pakistan this year. The president has also attempted to broker a deal to end the fighting between Russia and Ukraine.
“I’m not politicking for it,” Trump told reporters in response to questions about the peace prize during the Aug. 8 Armenia and Azerbaijan peace agreement event. “I have a lot of people that are.”
Israel and Hamas signed an agreement on Oct. 9 to free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the first phase of the Trump administration’s plan to end the conflict. The war in Gaza has raged since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing more than 250 hostages.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 67,000 people have been killed since the start of the conflict. The figure does not distinguish between fighters and civilians and includes some deaths from natural causes. The Epoch Times cannot verify these figures.
Under the deal, fighting will cease, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza, and Hamas will free all remaining hostages it captured in the attack that precipitated the war, in exchange for hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. Fleets of trucks carrying food and medical aid would also be allowed into Gaza under the plan.
Netanyahu’s office has said that the cease-fire would take effect once the agreement is ratified by his government, which would convene after a security cabinet meeting later on Oct. 9.
The deal received support from Arab and Western countries and was widely portrayed as a major diplomatic achievement for Trump, who cast it as a first step toward reconciliation in the wider Middle East.
In a series of posts on social media, Netanyahu’s office stated that the prime minister spoke with Trump late on Oct. 8, saying that he invited the U.S. president to address Israel’s parliamentary body, the Knesset.
In response, Trump told Axios that he is “likely going to Israel in the coming days” to address the Knesset.
The United Nations said that it would provide its full support to the Gaza cease-fire agreement and would move to send aid to Gaza, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said on the morning of Oct. 9.
“To turn this ceasefire into real progress, we need more than the silencing of the guns,” he said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
“Iran's different, but Iran wants to work on peace. Now they've informed us, and they've acknowledged that they're totally in favor of this deal. They think it's a great thing, so we appreciate that, and we'll work with Iran,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting.
“As you know, we have major sanctions on Iran and lots of other things. We would like to see them be able to rebuild their country too, but they can't have a nuclear weapon.”
The deal also includes the release of some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
“As you know, last night, we reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East,” Trump said during an Oct. 9 Cabinet meeting.
He said the conflict between Israel and Gaza was over, and that his administration “created peace."
"And I think it's going to be a lasting peace. We secured the release of all of the remaining hostages, and they should be released on Monday or Tuesday… and that'll be a day of joy.”
Trump added that he planned to visit Egypt for the official signing of the peace agreement.
Officials confirmed the deal was signed after indirect talks at the Sharm el-Sheikh beach resort in Egypt, triggering a cease-fire and the release of all remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel Defense Forces will also partially withdraw from their current advanced positions in Gaza, and fleets of trucks carrying food and medical aid will be allowed into the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he would convene his government to approve the agreement.
A group of families was with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Oct. 8, and spoke with Trump by phone, making comments such as “Thank you,” “You did it,” and “This is amazing.”
One of the family members gathered around Lutnick’s phone said, “Mr. President, we believe in you. We know you've done so much for us…. We trust you fulfilled the mission until every hostage, every 48 of the hostages, are home. Thank you so much. Blessed be the peacemakers."
Another added, "God bless you, Mr. President. God bless America."
That total includes 250 prisoners serving long sentences, and 1,700 who were taken prisoner during the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023.
“We have put the names of all the commanders that we want released,” Hamdan said.
“The Israelis should withdraw from all heavily populated areas, especially Gaza City, Khan Younis, Rafah, and north Gaza,” he added.
However, one prisoner Israel said it would not release is Marwan Barghouti. Arrested in 2002, he is serving five life sentences for deadly attacks carried out during the 2000 intifada.
Barghouti is considered a popular Palestinian political figure and is seen by many to be a possible successor to the Palestinian Authority’s recognized president, Mahmoud Abbas. Barghouti was a leader of Hamas’s rival group, Fatah.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the Chief of the General Staff issued instructions for forces to prepare for the return of the hostages. Preparations to transition to the new deployment lines are already underway. However, all forces are told to prepare strong defenses and be ready for any scenario.
“All factions, including the Palestinian Authority, does not accept that. No one accepts the return to mandate and colonialism,” he told pan-Arab Al-Araby TV on Thursday.
When asked about Hamas having no role in the future governance of the Gaza Strip, Hamdan said the enclave would be led by “independent Palestinian personalities.”
Regarding the resumed flow of humanitarian aid, Hamdan expects roughly 400 to 600 trucks with food, medical equipment, and fuel to enter Gaza daily after the deal is cemented.
The Palestinian delegation insisted during negotiations that the United Nations and other international groups be among those who distribute the aid, Hamdan said.
“These organizations have a good reputation of dealing with people, and they don’t have to bring mercenaries and retired soldiers to open fire at the Palestinian people,” he added.
“I extend my special thanks to U.S. President Mr. Trump, who demonstrated the necessary political will to encourage the Israeli government toward the ceasefire, as well as to our brotherly countries Qatar and Egypt, which provided significant support in reaching the agreement,” Erdogan wrote on X, in an English translation from Turkish.
“As Türkiye, we will closely monitor the meticulous implementation of the agreement and continue to contribute to the process,” Erdogan said.
“We will continue our struggle until a Palestinian state is established, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, independent, sovereign, and possessing territorial integrity.”
In a post on X, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called the agreement a “truly historic achievement.”
“Through strength and conviction, [Trump has] accomplished what others have only talked about: bringing hostages home, security for Israel, and laying the groundwork for lasting peace in the Middle East.”
Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) said he was “beyond thankful and grateful that it appears the hostages will be released,” and that a cease-fire will take effect. He added that Hamas must completely disarm and be “written out of the future of any Palestinian government.”
Graham ended his comments, saying, “Well done, Mr. President.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that if the agreement goes into effect, it will bring a “huge sigh of relief to the hostage families, to all of Israel, and to Palestinians who have suffered for so long in this horrific humanitarian catastrophe.”
He noted his commitment to ensuring that all hostages are returned home, and said, “The work is not over, but any step to end this nightmare is one that should be celebrated and carefully implemented and followed through on.”
- Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to the first phase of a peace plan to end the war.
- The first phase will consist of releasing the living and dead hostages.
- It is also expected that Palestinian prisoners will be released in exchange for the hostages.
- Israel will also gradually withdraw from Gaza.
- Trump applauded the agreement, which was reached in Egypt and will be signed in the resort town of Sharm-el-Sheikh on Thursday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 8 that Israel and the terrorist group Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause fighting and release some hostages and prisoners.
The announcement comes two years after the Oct. 7 attack, in which Hamas-led terrorists killed about 1,200 people and seized 251 hostages in southern Israel, triggering Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Here is what to know about the progress of Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
What Is Agreed
After three days of indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas officials in Egypt, Trump said that both sides have signed off on the first phase of the 20-point peace plan.
“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 said.
Israel says that Hamas is still holding 48 hostages in the enclave.
Hamas said the agreement includes an Israeli pullback from the enclave and a hostage-prisoner exchange.
What Comes Next
The Israeli government is set to meet on Thursday to approve the agreement. Netanyahu’s office said that a ceasefire will not come into effect until the deal is ratified by the Israeli lawmakers.
According to the deal, if both sides agree to this proposal, Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed-upon line to prepare for a hostage release.
During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned. During a Wednesday evening interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump said he expects the hostages to be released sometime on Monday.
The agreement will end the war and allow aid into Gaza, with full details to be announced later, Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said on Wednesday.
Trump’s plan says that once the agreement is accepted, aid would enter Gaza immediately at levels set in the Jan. 19, 2025, deal, including infrastructure and hospital repairs and rubble clearance.
Distribution would be overseen by the U.N., Red Crescent, and other bodies, with the Rafah crossing operating under the same earlier mechanism.
What Remains Unknown
The announcements cover only part of the 20-point peace plan. Key details, including how Hamas’s disarmament will be carried out, remain unclear.
The plan envisions Gaza first being run by a neutral Palestinian committee providing basic services, before eventually being handed to the Palestinian Authority (PA), alongside a new development program for reconstruction. Hamas and other groups are to have no role in governance.
Trump said that a “council of peace” would be formed to oversee the postwar transition and reconstruction.
“People are going to be taken care of. It’s going to be a different world,” Trump told Hannity. “I think, really, the Middle East came together.”
Reactions to Gaza’s future leadership are divided.
Netanyahu has rejected any PA role without “fundamental, genuine, and enduring transformation.” Mardawi said Israel will “fail to impose their agendas and schemes on our land and holy sites.”
Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said on Thursday that Gaza’s administration must be composed of “Palestinian national figures without Israeli interference.” He added that Palestinian factions have submitted a proposal of 40 names to assume responsibility for administering the Gaza Strip.
World Leaders React
In a post on Truth Social, Trump hailed the agreement.
“All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the development as “a diplomatic success” and “a great day for Israel.”
“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,” he said in a post on X.
“This agreement represents a purely national achievement that fulfils the fundamental demands of our people: stopping the aggression, return of the displaced, withdrawal of the occupation, a prisoner exchange deal, and the launch of relief and reconstruction efforts,” Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi said, according to a Telegram post by Al-Aqsa TV, a Hamas-affiliated media outlet.
UK Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer said it was a “moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world.” He called for the immediate implementation of the agreement in full.
French President Emmanuel Macron thanked Trump and the mediators. He said he would raise a two-state solution at a Paris meeting on Thursday with senior diplomats from Europe, Arab countries, and other partners to discuss Gaza’s post-war transition.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing relatives of most Israeli hostages, thanked Trump for his efforts in a phone call and invited him to meet with them during his next visit to Israel.
Netanyahu said on Thursday that he spoke with Trump, thanking him for “all his efforts and for his global leadership” and inviting him to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset.
Celebrations spread across Gaza as Palestinians welcomed the approval of the first phase of the peace plan.
Leaders around the world have welcomed the news that a deal has been reached between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group for the release of the Israeli hostages taken two years ago.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the deal on Oct. 8, noting that hostages are likely to be released in the coming days and that Hamas will cede control of the Gaza Strip.
In exchange, Israel will pull its military forces back to an agreed-upon line.
The news was greeted by various nations as a first step in ending the Israel–Hamas conflict, which has raged since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the agreement on Oct. 9, noting that France would continue talks to seek a political solution.
“This agreement must mark the end of the war and the beginning of a political solution based on the two-state solution,” Macron said on X.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the deal “encouraging,” saying on X that the first steps “offer new hope—for the hostages and their families, for the people in Gaza, and for the entire region.”
“We call on all parties to keep their promises, end the war, and pave the way for lasting peace,” he said. “Germany will continue to firmly support this process.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also welcomed the deal in a statement posted to X, calling it “a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world.”
“This agreement must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza,” he said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen commended the efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey to bring the deal about. In a post on X, she said the European Union stands ready to support the delivery of aid and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
“Today’s opportunity should be seized,” she said. “It’s the opportunity to forge a credible political path toward lasting peace and security. A path firmly anchored in the two-state solution.”
Von der Leyen’s sentiments were echoed by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres in a statement posted on social media.
“I urge all stakeholders to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution that enables Israelis & Palestinians to live in peace & security,” he said.
Countries in the region also cheered the news, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying on X that he was “greatly pleased” that the deal, brokered in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, had resulted in a cease-fire.
Erdogan thanked Trump for demonstrating the political will to broker the cease-fire.
However, he said Turkey will continue its struggle “until a Palestinian state is established, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, independent, sovereign, and possessing territorial integrity.”
Arab nations Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan also praised the move, while further afield, Australia, Canada, Russia, and India welcomed the deal.
The Israeli government is set to meet on Oct. 9 to approve the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that a cease-fire will not come into effect until the deal is ratified by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
According to the deal, if both sides agree to this proposal, Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed-upon line to prepare for a hostage release.
During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
Within 72 hours of the Israeli government approving the deal, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned. During an interview on the evening of Oct. 8 with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump said he expects the hostages to be released sometime on Oct. 13.
Still yet to be hammered out are plans for governing the Gaza Strip after the war and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has rejected Israel’s demands that it give up its weapons.
Reuters contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON—Israel and terrorist group Hamas have reached a deal for the release of hostages, marking a breakthrough toward ending the two-year war in Gaza.
After announcing that both sides had agreed to the deal, President Donald Trump said that hostages still being held by Hamas are likely to be released in the coming days.
In exchange, Israel will withdraw its troops to an “agreed upon line.”
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. 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 wrote on Truth Social when he announced the development.
“All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
Netanyahu said the Israeli government will meet on Thursday evening to approve the agreement.
Netanyahu’s office said on Thursday that the Israeli Security Cabinet will meet at 5 p.m. local time, followed by a government meeting at 6 p.m.
In a press briefing on Thursday, a spokeswoman for Netanyahu’s office, Shosh Bedrosian, said that a cease-fire will begin in Gaza, within 24 hours after the Cabinet meeting.
“After this 24-hour period, the 72-hour time window will then begin, where all of our hostages will be released back into Israel,” she added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump and his team for their commitment to freeing the hostages.
“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,” Netanyahu said on X.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said he will “wholeheartedly” back the framework for the release of hostages at the government meeting on Thursday. Defense Minister Israel Katz, Energy Minister Eli Cohen, and Transport Minister Miri Regev have all publicly backed the agreement.
Following the announcement of the deal, people in both Israel and Gaza responded with public celebrations.
In Israel, families of hostages held by Hamas were with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick when they spoke to Trump on the phone and thanked him for his efforts.
World leaders, including heads of European and Arab nations, have welcomed news of the deal’s agreed first phase, extending their gratitude to Trump for his role in facilitating it.
Statements of appreciation from leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, among others, came as senior diplomats from Europe, Arab countries, and other international partners convened in Paris on Thursday to discuss Gaza’s post-war transition.
Transition and Hostages
The deal signals progress as the first step in Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan.
Negotiations on the other parts of the peace deal are ongoing.
During a Wednesday evening interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump said that a “Council of Peace” would be formed to oversee the postwar transition and reconstruction.
“People are going to be taken care of. It’s going to be a different world,” Trump said.
“I think, really, the Middle East came together.”
Speaking about the hostages, Trump said he expects them to be released sometime on Oct. 13, U.S. time.
“It’s a terrible situation there. [The hostages] are deep in the earth, and they’re being gotten and a lot of things are happening right now as we speak, so much is happening to get the hostages freed,” Trump said.
“We think they‘ll all be coming back on Monday ... and that’ll include the bodies of the dead.”
Hamas’s Response
Hamas, which on Oct. 3 agreed to release all hostages in accordance with Trump’s plan, also released a statement after Trump’s announcement.
“We highly appreciate the efforts of our brothers and mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, and we also value the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war completely and achieving a full withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip,” the terrorist group wrote.
“We call on President Trump, the guarantor states of the agreement, and all Arab, Islamic, and international parties to compel the occupation government to fully implement its obligations under the agreement and to prevent it from evading or delaying the implementation of what has been agreed upon.”
The group also stated that it has accepted parts of the peace proposal to end its war with Israel, including giving up power over Gaza, but noted that other provisions would require further consultations among Palestinians.
Breakthrough
The news first came as Trump was hosting a White House roundtable with several Cabinet members and independent journalists on Antifa.
During the meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio came into the room, whispered in Trump’s ear, and handed the president a note.
“We’re very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they’re going to need me pretty quickly,” Trump told reporters after reading the note.
The president ended the news conference shortly after that.
During the roundtable, Trump also said he may travel to the Middle East over the weekend.
“I’ll be going to Egypt, most likely. That’s where everybody is gathered right now, and we appreciate that very much. But I’ll be making the rounds as the expression goes,” he said.
The Trump administration introduced a 20-point Middle East peace plan to end the war in Gaza. Washington’s plan includes the return of all hostages—both living and dead—an immediate cease-fire, a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, large-scale reconstruction, and a new dialogue between Palestinians and Israel for “peaceful coexistence.”
Peace Deal
The war in Gaza has raged since Oct. 7, 2023, when a number of terrorist groups led by Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing more than 250 hostages. Today, an estimated 20 hostages are still believed to be alive in captivity.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 67,000 people have been killed since the start of the conflict. The figure does not distinguish between fighters and civilians and includes some deaths from natural causes. The Epoch Times cannot verify these figures.
Trump’s Gaza peace deal included Israel’s withdrawal to an agreed line, a suspension of all military operations in Gaza, and the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, along with 1,700 Gazans detained after Hamas’s October 2023 terrorist attack on Israel.
“Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza,” the agreement reads.
According to Trump’s peace plan, Gaza will be governed by a temporary, apolitical Palestinian technocratic committee tasked with managing daily public services and municipalities in Gaza.
The committee will be composed of qualified Palestinians and international experts. It will operate under the oversight of a new international body, the “Board of Peace,” headed and chaired by Trump. The board will include prominent names such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, with additional members to be announced.
The peace plan also states that when the Palestinian Authority completes its reform program, it could prepare the conditions for “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
The plan includes deradicalizing Gaza and making it a terror-free zone so that it does not pose a threat in the future. The Gaza Strip will receive full aid when hostilities end.
Both Trump and Netanyahu have made it clear that Hamas will play no role in the governance of Gaza.
“All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt,” the plan reads.
“No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return.”
Trump highlighted the plan during a joint news conference with Netanyahu at the White House on Sept. 29.
“Working with the new transitional authority in Gaza, all parties will agree on a timeline for Israeli forces to withdraw in phases. They'll be withdrawing in phases,” the president said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump will visit Walter Reed Medical Center on the morning of Oct. 10 for a planned meeting and remarks with the troops.
“While there, President Trump will stop by for his routine yearly check-up. He will then return to the White House. President Trump is considering going to the Middle East shortly thereafter,” Leavitt said.
