Hamas will release Israeli hostages, and IDF troops will be withdrawn to agreed positions - this stage of the peace deal was agreed upon by representatives of Hamas and Israel, Trump stated. The parties confirmed the conclusion of the agreement, DW reports.
Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first stage of the American peace plan, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on the social network Truth Social on the evening of October 8, local time. "This means that ALL hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw its troops to agreed lines as the first steps towards a lasting, reliable, and eternal peace. All parties will be treated fairly!" - his post states.
In his statement, Trump thanked the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with the U.S. "to make this historic and unprecedented event happen."
By October 12, Trump is ready to fly to the Middle East to witness the signing of the agreement, he stated earlier that day during a press briefing at the White House. "I may go there closer to the end of the week, possibly on Sunday - we’ll see," the media quoted the American leader.
The Gaza Agreement Confirmed by Israel, Hamas, and Qatar
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote in a post on X that he would convene the government on October 9 to ratify the agreement and bring home the hostages held by terrorists. Reuters reported that Hamas also confirmed the conclusion of the agreement with the Israeli side. Later, AFP, citing the radical Islamist group, wrote that live hostages would be exchanged for approximately 2000 Palestinian prisoners within 72 hours of the deal being made.
"Mediators announce that an agreement has been reached tonight on all provisions and mechanisms for implementing the first stage of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which will lead to the end of the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as well as the delivery of (humanitarian - Ed.) aid," wrote Majed Al-Ansari, an official representative of the Qatari Foreign Ministry, on his account on X. Details of the deal will be announced later, he added.
UN Secretary-General Guterres Welcomes Agreement Between Israel and Hamas
UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the progress towards peace in the Middle East. "I urge all parties to fully comply with the terms of the agreement. All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be ensured. Hostilities must cease once and for all," he wrote on X. According to Guterres, the UN will support the implementation of the agreement and increase the volume of humanitarian aid supplies to the Gaza Strip in this context.
At the same time, he called for ensuring "immediate and unhindered entry of humanitarian goods and necessary commercial items" into the region, as well as taking the opportunity to develop "a reliable political course towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, leading to a two-state solution." According to Guterres, this will allow Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.
Hamas Attack on Israel
The attack by Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States, on Israel on October 7, 2023, marked the beginning of an escalation in the Middle Eastern conflict. At that time, militants launched a rocket strike on Israel, invaded its territory, and carried out the most massive massacre of civilians in the history of the modern Israeli state, killing about 1200 people. They also captured about 250 hostages and transported them to the Gaza Strip. Later, some hostages were exchanged or released, while others died.
In response, Israel declared war on Hamas. During the ground operation and bombings of the Gaza Strip, more than 67,000 Palestinians have died, and over 169,000 have been injured, claims the health ministry controlled by Hamas. However, it does not specify how this statistic is compiled. For example, it is unclear how many Islamist militants were among the dead, and whether deaths of Palestinians in hospitals from natural causes are included.
At the end of September, during a visit to Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented his peace plan for the Gaza Strip to U.S. President Donald Trump. Netanyahu agreed to it. Partial agreement with the proposed points was also given in early October by representatives of Hamas. The first round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas through mediators took place in Egypt on October 6.
Leave a comment