U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands at the conclusion of a joint press conference in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC on September 29, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump said on October 8, 2025 that Israel and Hamas had agreed on the first phase of his Gaza peace plan, hailing it as a “historic and unprecedented” step to ending the two-year-old war.
| Photo Credit: AFP
WasIsrael and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (October 8, 2025) in announcing the outlines of the biggest breakthrough in months in the two-year-old 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,” Mr. Trump wrote on social media.Earlier on Wednesday (October 8), Mr. Trump said that he might travel this weekend to Egypt, where his envoys were in talks to try to seal the ceasefire and hostage-release agreement. “All Parties will be treated fairly!" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, “With God's help we will bring them all home.”Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Trump spoke about the ‘historic achievement’ of reaching the deal, Israeli leader’s office said.Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene the government on Thursday (October 9) to approve the Gaza ceasefire agreement aimed at bringing home all the Israeli hostages.
