Donald Trump announced on social media today that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement for the release of the remaining 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” read the beginning of Trump’s social media post.
While it’s definitely a step forward (if it comes to fruition), it’s not a definitive ‘peace deal.’
From the New York Times (gift link):
The details of the deal were unclear, including the timing and specifics of the exchange, as well as the line of withdrawal.
In late September, Mr. Trump unveiled a sweeping 20-point plan to end the war and free the remaining hostages. Under that proposal, the hostages would be exchanged for 250 Palestinians prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans jailed by Israel during the war.
While Israel and Hamas have now agreed to an exchange, it is still not clear whether the two-year-old war in Gaza would end.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has demanded that Hamas disarm, which the militant group has publicly rejected.
The war in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, after the Hamas-led attack on Israel, in which roughly 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage.
Since then, the Israeli military response has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, including both civilians and combatants.
Read more here.
Breaking News: President Trump said that Israel and Hamas reached an agreement for a hostage release and for a pullback of Israeli troops.
Follow live updates. https://t.co/hB3tJcxEDH
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 8, 2025
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