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.

Israel’s cabinet is scheduled to meet at 1500 GMT to approve the agreement formally. According to reports from AFP and Reuters, the signing ceremony is expected to take place later this week in Egypt, which, along with Qatar and Turkey, played a key mediation role.

“With God’s help, we will bring them all home,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement referencing the hostages.

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A Regional Turning Point

The deal, if implemented, could mark the closest step toward ending a war that has killed tens of thousands and created what the UN has declared a famine in Gaza. Trump said he hopes to attend the upcoming signing ceremony in Cairo, underscoring the international importance of the agreement.

“All parties will be treated fairly,” Trump added on Truth Social. “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.”

While many remain cautious about the long-term outcomes, the Gaza Peace Deal signals renewed hope for stability in a region strained by violence, humanitarian disaster, and geopolitical rivalries involving Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of Gaza peace plan. Trump posted on Truth Social that the Gaza hostages should start being released on Monday or Tuesday.

For more background, see Trump: 

Trump says Gaza hostages should be released on Monday or Tuesday

Trump: Israel and Hamas agree to first phase of Gaza peace plan

Trump: Israel and Hamas agree to first phase of Gaza peace plan