Israel and Hamas have officially endorsed the first phase of Donald Trump’s peace plan, as Hungarian Conservative has reported. As a result, all hostages will be released, and Israel will begin preparations for withdrawal from Gaza. The news was announced by Donald Trump on his Truth Social account.
‘I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,’ the US president wrote on Truth Social. ‘ALL the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel withdraw their troops to an agreed upon line,’ he added.
48 hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza, including Omri Miran, who is of Hungarian descent. According to Israeli intelligence, around 20 of the hostages may still be alive. In exchange for the Israeli civilians, Israel will release Palestinian prisoners held in Jerusalem, following a list provided by Hamas of those they wish to see freed first.
Crowds poured into the streets across Israel upon hearing the good news. Leading politicians expressed their gratitude to the American president for crafting and swiftly implementing the peace plan. Prime Minister Netanyahu immediately invited Trump to Jerusalem—and he could arrive as soon as Sunday.
Trump Deserves the Credit
Trump (and his team) undeniably deserve credit: negotiations between Israel and Hamas had been deadlocked for months, and while Israel’s military pressure was necessary, it was not sufficient to push Hamas toward a genuine agreement. So, what changed?
At the end of September, Trump presented a 20-point plan that managed to articulate a ‘common minimum’ acceptable to both Israel and the region’s Arab and Muslim states. The alignment of these states behind the peace plan was crucial, as it placed Hamas under pressure. If the terrorist organization said ‘no’ to Trump’s proposal, it would clearly reveal that the group—which claims to care deeply about Gaza’s civilians and about ending the war—actually has no desire for peace.
Trump’s peace plan also offered both Israel and Hamas a viable exit from the two-year conflict. Hamas’s remaining forces, entrenched in Gaza’s tunnel network, were watching as Israel moved to occupy the entire Gaza Strip militarily. Netanyahu had faced heavy criticism for lacking a true ‘exit strategy’ from the war and for failing to present a comprehensive postwar vision for Gaza. Trump’s proposal has now offered a potential solution to both issues.
‘Through steadfast resolve, powerful military action, and the great efforts of our great friend and ally President Trump, we have reached this critical turning point. I thank President Trump for his leadership, his partnership, and his unwavering commitment to the safety of Israel and the freedom of our hostages,’ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X.
The breakthrough brought by Trump’s plan could mark one of the most significant diplomatic achievements in the region in years—and potentially reshape the legacy of Donald Trump’s foreign policy in the Middle East.
Is the Real End of the War within Reach?
However, the road to peace is still long. Trump’s 20-point proposal is, in fact, more of a ‘roadmap’—one that, if both sides follow, could at least open the possibility that Jews and Palestinians might start to believe again that coexistence in peace is possible. According to a June poll made by Pew Reasearch, only 21 per cent of Israelis still believe this. Thus many remain pessimistic about the full realization or feasibility of Trump’s peace proposal.
But for now, the most important thing is that the first phase of Trump’s peace plan has proven acceptable to both parties. For 48 Israeli families, their nightmare of the past two years may finally be coming to an end.
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