Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of the peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump to end the fighting and secure the release of all remaining hostages in the coming days. The news was announced by Trump on Truth Social on 8 October.
‘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, adding that all parties would be treated fairly.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the breakthrough on X, stating that ‘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.’ Netanyahu invited Trump to speak before the Israeli Knesset on Sunday, 12 October—making him the first US president to do so since George W Bush in 2008.
Hamas said in a statement that the deal came after ‘responsible and serious negotiations’ over the Trump proposal. The group called on Trump and the mediators to ensure that Israel implements all the agreed provisions without delay or changes.
Trump presented Washington’s 20-point peace plan to the parties on 29 September, aimed at ending the war in Gaza, returning hostages, demilitarizing Hamas, setting up interim governance, and rebuilding Gaza. The plan is structured in three sequential phases, each designed to build trust, reduce violence, and move toward stability. Phase 1 begins with a ceasefire, the first hostage release, partial Israeli withdrawal, and humanitarian access; Phase 2 expands the pause with further hostage and prisoner exchanges and additional Israeli pullback; and Phase 3 completes the deal with the release of remains, lifting restrictions, full troop withdrawal, and reconstruction under international oversight.
‘This is more than Gaza. This is peace in the Middle East’
Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday, Trump said that ‘the whole world came together in order to reach this deal.’ He added: ‘So many countries that you wouldn’t have even thought of…wired their best wishes and their commitment to do whatever is necessary. This is more than Gaza. This is peace in the Middle East.’
Leaders from around the world congratulated Trump on the breakthrough. Argentinian President Javier Milei applauded the deal as historic and said he would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the agreement, expressing hope for a brighter future in the region. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised the progress and urged all parties to seize the opportunity for lasting peace. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen commended the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye in achieving the breakthrough.
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó welcomed the agreement in a post on X, stating that ‘there is finally real hope for peace and security in the Middle East.’ ‘We hope the Hungarian citizen held in Gaza will be soon freed,’ he concluded.
The deal came just two days ahead of the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize, for which Trump is positioning himself as a contender. In addition to the current breakthrough between Hamas and Israel, the US under Trump’s leadership also played a decisive role in finalizing the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace agreement, ending more than 30 years of conflict in the South Caucasus. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev both declared that they would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize—echoing Netanyahu and several other world leaders and politicians.
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