Washington: A deal calling for Israel to partially withdraw from Gaza and for Hamas to release the remaining hostages has been reached, US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday. The breakthrough comes two years after Hamas' October 7 attack, with Gaza almost entirely destroyed and more than 67,000 Palestinians killed, according to the Gaza health ministry.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Trump expressed his pride over the agreement on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating that both Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of the peace plan. This plan entails the release of all hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops to a mutually agreed line as initial steps towards establishing peace.
Negotiations for the deal took place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, involving US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with negotiators from Israel, Hamas, and mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye. The agreement is grounded in a 20-point plan announced by Trump last week. However, further negotiations are required to address complex issues such as the disarmament of Hamas and the future governing structure of Gaza.