Trump announces Israel and Hamas have reached deal, says all the hostages will be freed ‘very soon’

Trump announces Israel and Hamas have reached deal, says all the hostages will be freed ‘very soon’

 Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday

US President Donald Trump announces that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the “first phase” of his plan to end the Gaza war.

“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 posts on Truth Social.

“All Parties will be treated fairly!” He reiterates, in a message widely understood to be directed at Hamas, which has sought guarantees from Trump that he won’t allow Israel to resume the war once the hostages are released

“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,” Trump continues.

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Hailing deal, Herzog says ‘all of Israel stands with the hostages’

President Isaac Herzog says “all of Israel stands with the hostages” in a social media post celebrating Hamas’s agreement to freeing the hostages as part of the US plan for ending the Gaza war.

“At this hour, all of Israel stands with the hostages. All of Israel stands with their families,” Herzog writes in a Hebrew-language post on X.

“They shall return from the land of the enemy… and children shall return to their own borders,” he adds, quoting a verse from the biblical book of Jeremiah.

Hamas demands mediators ‘compel the occupation government to fully implement’ Gaza deal

Hamas issues a statement confirming the hostage-ceasefire agreement with Israel, which the terror group says “provides for an end to the war in Gaza, the withdrawal of the occupation forces, the entry of humanitarian aid, and a prisoner exchange.”

The Palestinian terrorist organization thanks the mediators and US President Donald Trump for brokering an end to the war triggered by its October 7, 2023, onslaught against Israel, while urging them “to compel the occupation government to fully implement the obligations of the agreement and to prevent it from evading or delaying the implementation of what has been agreed upon.”

“We salute our great people in the Gaza Strip, in Jerusalem and the West Bank, inside our homeland and abroad, who have demonstrated unmatched honor, courage, and steadfastness, confronting the occupation’s fascist schemes that targeted them and their national rights,” the statement adds.

“We affirm that our people’s sacrifices will not be in vain, and we pledge to remain faithful to our cause and never abandon our national rights until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved.”

Netanyahu says government will meet Thursday to okay deal to ‘bring all our dear hostages home’

After Hamas agrees to the first phase of the US plan to end the Gaza war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hails “a great day for Israel” and says he will convene the government tomorrow to authorize the agreement.

“A great day for Israel. Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home,” Netanyahu says in a statement from his office.

“I thank the brave IDF soldiers and all the security forces — it is thanks to their courage and sacrifice that we have reached this day,” he adds.

Hostage Families Forum hails announcement of deal, says struggle not over ‘until the last captive returns’

Hostages and Missing Families Forum greets US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a deal to free their loved ones from Hamas captivity and end the war in Gaza with “excitement, hope and concern.”

“This is important and significant progress toward returning everyone, but our struggle has not ended and will not end until the last hostage returns,” the group says in a statement.

The forum calls on the government to immediately hold a meeting to approve the agreement, warning that any delay could pose a risk to the captives and Israeli soldiers in Gaza.