ALBAWABA- In a major diplomatic breakthrough, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of his 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan, a move expected to halt fighting, release hostages, and open vital aid corridors after nearly two years of devastating war.
Speaking at a White House cabinet meeting, Trump hailed the deal as a “historic and unprecedented event”, crediting mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for bridging deep divides between the warring sides.
The agreement, reached after three days of talks in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh resort, includes an immediate ceasefire, Israel’s partial withdrawal from Gaza, the release of 48 Israeli hostages, and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners.
Humanitarian aid is expected to surge within 24 hours, pending approval from Israel’s security cabinet.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has invited Trump to Cairo for the official signing ceremony this weekend, a symbolic event that could mark the most significant peace development in the Middle East since the 2020 Abraham Accords.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised Trump’s role, pledging that Turkey would participate in a UN-led stabilization mission to rebuild Gaza.
The breakthrough follows Trump’s unveiling of his comprehensive peace framework at the UN General Assembly, merging proposals from Qatar, Egypt, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Key to the deal’s success were U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who brokered a compromise satisfying both Israeli security concerns and Hamas’s demand for a permanent end to hostilities.
Trump also linked the achievement to his June 2025 Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, arguing they weakened Tehran’s regional proxies and cleared the path for diplomacy. “That attack changed everything,” he said. “Without it, we wouldn’t be here today.”
While the announcement has sparked cautious optimism, challenges remain. Hamas is demanding firm guarantees against Israeli re-entry into Gaza, and hardliners in Israel have voiced opposition to the withdrawal terms.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all sides to ensure “faithful implementation,” calling the deal “a vital step toward ending the cycle of destruction.”
If finalized in Cairo, the agreement would end one of the bloodiest chapters in the Gaza conflict, with more than 67,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since 2023, and mass destruction to the besieged strip.
