On Wednesday (US time), US President Donald Trump said that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a plan that had been chalked up to push for the release of all hostages. More importantly, the timeline of the development aligned with the 2-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and led to the kidnapping of over 250 hostages.

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump wrote on his social media platform 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. All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”

In a telephone interview with Fox News, Trump also asserted that “other countries” in the Middle East would help rebuild Gaza. During the same interaction, he suggested that the hostages would probably be released by Monday.

ALSO READ

He said, “Gaza, we believe, is going to be a much safer place, and it’s going to be a place that reconstructs, and other countries in the area will help it reconstruct, because they have tremendous amounts of wealth, and they want to see that happen… We’ll be involved in helping them make it successful and helping it stay peaceful.”

Netanyahu reacts to peace plan agreement

Although the announcement didn’t outrightly lay out how certain issues would be resolved, early reactions caught Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailing the signing of the peace plan. His office shared that he had indulged in a “very warm and emotional” conversation with Trump, during which he called reaching the agreement a “historic achievement.”

Officials further opened up that the Israeli leader thanked the US president for all that he had done. He has since also invited the American leader to address the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, as well. Trump, on the other hand, responded positively to the potential Israeli visit.

Subsequently, Netanyahu personally posted the following on message on X too: “This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel. From the beginning, I made it clear: we will not rest until all our hostages return and all our goals.”

Hamas on Gaza peace plan development

On the other side of the deal, Hamas shared a statement, noting that the peace plan agreement will bring about “an end to the war on Gaza, the occupation’s withdrawal from it, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange.” The group went on to thanks every party involved, including Qatar, Egypt and Turkey.

Directly name-dropping the US Republican politician, they added in a statement, “We also value the efforts of US President Donald Trump, who seek to bring about a definitive end to the war and a complete withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip.”

Directing its focus to Israel, it urged the country “to fully implement the agreement’s requirements and not allow it to evade or delay the implementation of what has been agreed upon.”

ALSO READ

Gaza peace plan: World leaders react

Qatar: The new agreement will “lead to ending the war,  the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid,” according to a Qatari official. Dr Majed Al Ansari, advisor to the PM, said on social media that more details would be announced later.

United Nations: Urging all sides involved to abide by the deal, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world agency would be support the “full implementation” of the peace deal.

Reiterating “the suffering must end,” he added, “I urge all stakeholders to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognising the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, leading to a two-state solution to enable Israelis & Palestinians to live in peace & security.”

IDF: The Israel Defence Forces have also released a statement, welcoming the agreement’s overnight signing.

It reads: “During a situational assessment held overnight, the Chief of the General Staff instructed all forces, both on the front lines and in the rear areas, to prepare strong defenses and be ready for any scenario.

“Force deployments will be carried out in accordance with the directives of the political echelon and the stages of the agreement, with responsibility and a focus on the safety of our soldiers. At the same time, the Chief of the General Staff instructed to prepare to lead the operation for the hostages’ return, which is expected to be conducted with sensitivity and professionalism

“The IDF will continue to act to achieve the objectives of the war and to defend the citizens of the State of Israel on all fronts.”

Australia: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined in the the conversation and praised the signing of the first phase of a Gaza peace deal. Thanking Trump for his “diplomatic efforts” and others nations involved in the negotiations, he said in a statement, “After more than two years of conflict, hostages held and a devastating loss of civilian life, this is a much needed step towards peace.”

While urging all parties to respect the terms, Australia also stood by the agreement denying Hamas any position in Gaza’s future, noting it will be a “very long road to recovery in Gaza, securing long term peace and building the Palestinian state.”

India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the agreement, hailing it as a “reflection of the strong leadership of PM Netanyahu.” Tagging Trump and his Israeli counterpart, the Indian leader added, “We hope the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring respite to them and pave the way for lasting peace.”

More reactions will be added.