**Israel and Hamas Reach Agreement on Hostage Release and Military Withdrawal, President Trump Announces**
Israel and Hamas have struck a deal for the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas and for Israel to withdraw its forces to an “agreed upon line,” President Donald Trump announced Wednesday. He described the agreement as the “first Phase” of a peace deal aimed at ending the two-year-long conflict.
“This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
Two regional sources speaking to CBS News confirmed that there is an agreement in principle among all parties regarding the hostage release. However, some procedural details remain to be finalized. Once those details are settled, the release of hostages is expected to begin within 48 hours. A senior White House official indicated that the hostages could be released as early as Monday.
The next step in the process will require approval from Israel’s cabinet during a vote scheduled for Thursday. If the cabinet votes in favor, the Israeli military will withdraw to the agreed-upon line within the Gaza Strip, a process expected to take under 24 hours. Following this, Hamas will have 72 hours to release the hostages, according to the official.
Majed al-Ansari, an adviser to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, also confirmed the deal. He shared on X (formerly Twitter) that an agreement has been reached on “the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a brief statement regarding the hostages: “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” In a follow-up, Netanyahu called the day a “big day for Israel” and announced plans to convene the government to approve the agreement, emphasizing his commitment to bringing “all our dear hostages home.”
Hamas also confirmed the agreement in a statement, praising Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators for their efforts in brokering the deal. The group specifically thanked President Trump for his involvement and urged him to ensure that Israel “fully complies with the terms of the agreement.”
In his earlier Truth Social post, President Trump wrote, “All Parties will be treated fairly!”
This announcement came just hours after Trump indicated he might travel to the Middle East this weekend and was open to potentially visiting the Gaza Strip.
During an unrelated White House event on Wednesday, the president revealed he had received a note from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to Trump, the note shared that negotiators were “pretty close to a deal” and expressed a need for the president’s involvement “pretty quickly.”
A little over a week ago, President Trump unveiled a comprehensive 20-point peace plan at a White House meeting with Netanyahu, who expressed full support for the proposal.
The current round of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas began on October 6 in Egypt, with Egyptian and Qatari officials acting as intermediaries. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to join the talks on Wednesday, following Netanyahu’s confirmation that a delegation was sent “to close the technical details of the release of our hostages.”
### Background of the Conflict
The ongoing war in Gaza, which has deeply affected the Middle East, was ignited by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. The attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 251 individuals taken hostage into Gaza.
In response, Israel launched a military campaign against Hamas, which both the U.S. and Israel designate as a terrorist organization. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health—run by Hamas and which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant casualties—over 67,000 people have been killed since the retaliation began.
Of the 251 hostages abducted into Gaza, 148 were either freed through previous ceasefire agreements or rescued by Israeli forces, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The bodies of another 57 hostages have been returned or recovered.
President Trump’s peace plan called for Hamas to release all 48 remaining hostages. Israel believes that 20 of these hostages are still alive.
In exchange, Israel would release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and approximately 1,700 other Gazans detained since the war’s onset.
On October 4, Hamas announced it had agreed to key elements of Trump’s original proposal, including the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and relinquishing its governance of Gaza. However, the group indicated that other aspects of the plan required further negotiation.
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This agreement marks a significant step toward potential peace in the region and the safe return of hostages, with diplomatic efforts continuing to resolve remaining details.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-deal-release-all-hostages-gaza-trump-says/
