Israel and Hamas have agreed to a phase one peace deal, brokered by President Donald Trump, which entails Hamas releasing all remaining hostages within 72 hours after a 24-hour ceasefire. In return, Israel will withdraw its troops from 53% of Gaza's territory and release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, excluding Marwan Barghouti. This initial agreement establishes a temporary cessation of hostilities and sets the stage for future negotiations regarding Gaza's governance, potentially involving a local Palestinian council and a reformed Palestinian Authority.
Israel, Hamas agree to phase 1 of Trump peace deal to release hostages, begin ceasefire Israel and Hamas have agreed to phase one of a peace deal that President Donald Trump says will see the release of all living hostages. The deal also has Israel withdrawing its troops from most of Gaza, initiating a ceasefire with Hamas. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar offered new details on Israel's peace agreement with Hamas in an interview with Fox News' Jennifer Griffin on Thursday. Griffin pressed Sa'ar about Hamas' role in Gaza moving forward as well as Israel's plans for a military withdrawal. Sa'ar said Israel is already moving to withdraw its troops behind the "yellow line," ceding 53% of Gaza's territory amid Thursday's ceasefire. He said further withdrawals will be negotiated in later phases of the peace agreement. He went on to say that, in the meantime, Gaza will be governed by a council of local Palestinians along with input from President Donald Trump. He said the existing Palestinian Authority may also play a role, but only if it adopts certain reforms. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in the peace deal. Muslim scholar Dr. Qanta Ahmed joined 'Fox & Friends' to discuss President Donald Trump’s Israel-Hamas peace deal that secures the release of the remaining hostages and strengthens ties between Israel and Arab nations. Ahmed says Trump was in a unique position to negotiate thanks his more trusting relations with Israel's Arab neighbors. "President Trump masterfully motivated all the elements," Ahmed said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a "warm" phone call with President Donald Trump thanking him for his efforts tom secure a peace agreement with Hamas on Thursday. Netanyahu spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian confirmed the phone call during a Thursday morning press conference, saying Washington and Jerusalem worked hand in hand to negotiate the deal. Under the agreement, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for all remaining hostages, both living and dead. Israel will also withdraw its troops from most of Gaza, removing themselves behind a "yellow line" during a 24-hour ceasefire that has already begun. At the end of the ceasefire, a 72-hour clock will begin, during which Hamas must release all remaining hostages. Bedrosian said this is only the first phase of the peace agreement. Details of later phases have not been announced. Israel confirmed Thursday that notorious terrorist Marwan Barghouti is not being released as part of its peace deal with Hamas and will remain in Israeli custody. The peace agreement includes the release of hundreds of prisoners in exchange for Hamas releasing its remaining hostages. Shosh Bedrosian, a spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed that Barghouti is not among that group in a Thursday morning press conference. Nevertheless, she said many of the prisoners being released were being held on terrorism charges. "Many of these terrorists who are being released are convicted terrorists who have blood on their hands for murdering innocent Israelis," Bedrosian said. She said a full list of the prisoners' names will be released soon. President Donald Trump praised U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee for his efforts negotiating the peace deal between Israel and Hamas on Thursday. Trump called Huckabee a "great man" in a post on social media. "United States Ambassador Mike Huckabee is AMAZING! He worked so hard, and did so much, to bring about Peace in the Middle East. He has very quickly become a Great Man. Thank you Mike!" Family members of hostages being held by Hamas celebrated the acceptance of the peace plan pushed by President Donald Trump by calling him on the phone to thank him for his efforts, which include the release of the remaining 48 hostages. A group of family members were with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Wednesday night when they got the president on the phone for a quick conversation, a video from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum (HMFF) showed. Upon answering the call, Trump was immediately met with positive remarks and cheers from the group. Multiple people yelled, "Thank you!" while one person said, "You did it!" and another said, "This is amazing." One man could be heard thanking the president for everything he has done for Israel and its people over the past few years. "Mr. President, we believe in you. We know you've done so much for us … Since you became the president. Even before that. And we trust you fulfilled the mission until every hostage, every 48 of the hostages, are home," the man said. "Thank you so much. Blessed be the peacemakers." Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a staunch supporter of Israel, congratulated President Donald Trump on Wednesday shortly after the commander in chief announced in a Truth Social post that Hamas and Israel agreed to phase one of a peace plan. Fetterman said that he and the president are both unflinchingly committed to the U.S. ally. "I congratulate @POTUS on this historic peace plan that releases all the hostages. Now, enduring peace in the region is possible. Our parties are different but we have a shared ironclad commitment to Israel and its people," the senator noted on X while including a screenshot of Trump's Truth Social post. Israel launched a war effort in the wake of the heinous Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack in which terrorists committed atrocities including murder, rape and kidnapping. Trump, who has been brokering a peace deal, declared in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, "I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. 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. President Donald Trump says "the whole world came together" to make Wednesday's Israel-Hamas peace agreement happen, and leaders across the globe are hailing the event. "So many countries that you wouldn’t have thought of have come together," Trump said on "Hannity." "It’s been so great for Israel, so great for Muslims, for the Arab countries — and so great for the United States of America. This is more than Gaza — this is peace in the Middle East." Israeli President Isaac Herzog chimed in on X, offering an emphatic endorsement of the deal while thanking Trump, adding that "should he visit us in the coming days, he will be received with immense respect, affection, and gratitude by the people of Israel." United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the breakthrough and urged swift follow-through. "I welcome the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza. The United Nations will support full implementation and recovery efforts. This momentous opportunity must not be lost," Guterres said. This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Christina Shaw Former White House hostage policy team member Alex Plitsas says Hamas likely needed more time to locate the hostages--dead and alive--who remain in their custody ahead of Wednesday's peace agreement. Negotiators assessed that 20 hostages remain alive, while 28 are deceased and their bodies have been "scattered across Gaza." According to the deal, Hamas has 72 hours to release all the remaining hostages, both dead and alive. The countdown to return the 48 hostages held by Hamas for more than two years and the end to the brutal war in Gaza will officially commence Thursday morning after the Israeli security cabinet and government convene to approve the deal signed overnight. Once the government approves the terms of the deal hashed out by Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish and U.S. mediators, Hamas has 72 hours to release the 20 hostages still assessed to be alive, along with the 28 deceased, "in one fell swoop and without public ceremonies," according to terms cited by Israel press agency TPS-IL. It remains unclear if Hamas will be able to adhere to this timeframe after it flagged over the weekend the improbability that it will be able to quickly locate all deceased bodies, some of which are allegedly buried under rubble. Israel Defense Forces, which will begin withdrawing within 24 hours of the government's approval to a designated line agreed upon with Hamas, will remain in 53% of the Gaza Strip until all the hostages, dead and alive, are released. Jerusalem will also authorize the release of some 1,700 Gazans arrested after the October 2023 attacks, along with roughly 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, under the first phase of the plan presented by President Donald Trump late last month. This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Caitlin McFall. President Donald Trump invoked scripture in his announcement of a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday. Writing on Truth Social, he announced that Israel had agreed to withdraw troops from most of Gaza, while Hamas agreed to release "all" remaining hostages. "I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. 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!" Trump's statement references Matthew 5:9, from Jesus' sermon on the mount, which reads, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." Live Coverage begins here Israel and Hamas have agreed to a Phase 1 peace deal, brokered by former President Donald Trump, initiating a 24-hour ceasefire followed by a 72-hour period for Hamas to release all 48 remaining hostages. In return, Israel will withdraw troops from 53% of Gaza and release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, though Marwan Barghouti is explicitly excluded. This initial accord aims to de-escalate immediate hostilities and facilitate hostage returns. The agreement carries significant geopolitical and political implications, with global leaders and Israeli officials praising Trump's role. The deal is perceived as a political victory for Trump, reflected in a highly positive sentiment score of 0.9 for DJT, his media company, suggesting potential political capital gains. This aligns with the "Elections & Domestic Politics" theme classification. However, uncertainties persist regarding Hamas's ability to locate and release all deceased hostages within the 72-hour timeframe, as some bodies are reportedly scattered. Future phases, including Gaza's long-term governance by a local Palestinian council or a reformed Palestinian Authority, remain subject to negotiation, introducing ongoing geopolitical risk.
AI-powered research, real-time alerts, and portfolio analytics for institutional investors.
Request a DemoOverall Sentiment
moderately positive
Sentiment Score
0.55
Ticker Sentiment
