U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-awaited agreement for a ceasefire and hostage release under what he called the Gaza Peace Deal, marking the first breakthrough in the two-year-long war in Gaza.
The announcement came just one day after the second anniversary of Hamas’ October 2023 attack on Israel, which ignited the ongoing conflict.
Gaza Peace Deal is Landmark Agreement
According to Trump, all parties have agreed to the Gaza Peace Deal, which represents the first phase of a 20-point framework he unveiled last month. The plan envisions a step-by-step process toward “lasting peace” and the reconstruction of Gaza.
“We are getting the hostages back on Monday or Tuesday, and that’ll be a day of joy,” Trump said during a White House Cabinet meeting. “This is a GREAT day for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, all surrounding nations, and the United States of America.”
Under the deal, Hamas will release 20 living hostages within 72 hours of the ceasefire’s start, while Israel will withdraw troops to an agreed-upon line. In exchange, Israel will free nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, marking one of the most significant prisoner exchanges since the conflict began.
Trump’s Plan for “Rebuilding Gaza”
The Gaza Peace Deal outlines an eventual reconstruction effort for Gaza. Trump said the territory would be “slowly redone,” though he offered few specifics. The plan also proposes a transitional authority to govern Gaza—headed temporarily by the U.S. president himself—a point that remains to be finalized in negotiations.
