Trump announces Hamas and Israel have signed the first phase of Gaza ceasefire plan
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Israel and Hamas have “signed off” on Phase One of his peace plan, declaring that all hostages “will be released very soon” and Israeli forces will pull back to an “agreed upon line.”
He called the development a first step toward a “strong, durable, and everlasting peace.”
According to Trump’s post, “all parties will be treated fairly,” and he hailed the day as “great” for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, neighbouring states, and the United States.
He credited mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for helping broker what he described as a “historic and unprecedented” breakthrough, closing with, “Blessed are the peacemakers!”
The announcement follows days of indirect talks in Egypt.
Trump did not provide timelines, sequencing, or monitoring arrangements in his post, and officials from the parties and mediating governments had not immediately released detailed statements confirming implementation steps.
Trump says Gaza deal ‘very close,’ may visit Egypt this weekend
US President Donald Trump said he may fly to Egypt this weekend as talks on a Gaza agreement near a breakthrough, adding that a deal is “very close.”
Speaking at a White House event, Trump revealed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio handed him a note on the status of negotiations.
“I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they’re going to need me pretty quickly,” he said.
Trump indicated he could depart as soon as Saturday, either just before the release of captives or shortly afterward, depending on how the timeline unfolds.
Without providing further details, he framed his potential trip as part of a final push to seal the agreement.
Concluding his remarks, Trump said: “I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East.”
Hamas seeks guarantees that Israel will end Gaza war as day-two talks conclude
Hamas and Israel concluded a second day of indirect talks in Sharm el-Sheikh on a 20-point ceasefire plan put forward by US President Donald Trump.
Trump said there is a “real chance” of a deal. Yet gaps remain.
A joint statement by Palestinian factions, including Hamas, vowed to keep “resistance by all means” and rejected giving up weapons.
Hamas negotiators said they seek an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Trump’s plan links any staged pullout to the release of 48 Israeli captives; Hamas indicated releases could also be staged, tied to mapped withdrawal steps.
The group wants firm guarantees the war will not restart.
Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye are “staying flexible.”
Qatar’s prime minister is due to join the talks alongside US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Israel says its goals remain unchanged: return all hostages, remove Hamas from power, and ensure Gaza no longer threatens Israel.
Greta Thunberg claims she was “mistreated” in Israeli custody
Greta Thunberg alleged she was mistreated while detained in Israel, speaking to reporters after arriving in Greece.
“I could talk for a very, very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment,” she said, adding, “But that is not the story.”
The climate activist urged world leaders and the public to end what she called their “complicity” in the “genocide” of Palestinians in Gaza, on the eve of the conflict’s second anniversary.
“We cannot take our eyes away from Gaza,” Thunberg said.
First round of Gaza talks ends in Egypt amid a “positive atmosphere”
The first round of Gaza talks between Hamas and mediators has ended in Egypt “amid a positive atmosphere,” Egyptian state media reported.
The outlet said discussions will resume on Tuesday in Sharm el-Sheikh between Hamas and mediators, after an Israeli delegation arrived on Monday.
Talks aim to secure an immediate truce and exchanges
Mediators will push for a near term halt to fighting, a staged Israeli withdrawal, and a hostage prisoner exchange that would see forty eight captives returned within three days in return for Palestinian prisoners.
Moreover, Washington has floated governance changes in Gaza under a transitional arrangement that excludes Hamas from authority.
Trump has warned Hamas of “complete obliteration” if it insists on retaining control and has publicly pressed Israel to move forward, saying the negotiations could conclude within a couple of days.
Nevertheless, core disputes remain over disarmament and the scope of any Israeli security presence after a truce.
Bombing from Israel continues which erodes credibility of negotiations
Meanwhile, Israel’s bombardment has continued despite US calls for a pause, undercutting claims of good faith.
On Saturday, at least thirty six Palestinians were killed in strikes, according to international media outlet, and on Sunday at least twenty four more were killed.
In addition, human right groups place the cumulative Palestinian death toll above sixty seven thousand, a figure that underscores the scale of devastation as talks begin.
Consequently, families in Gaza have told reporters they remain sceptical that this process will deliver swift relief while bombs are still falling.
Independent findings describe grave abuses from IDF and demand accountability
Finally, multiple independent bodies have documented atrocities linked to Israel’s campaign, including widespread attacks on civilian infrastructure, obstruction of aid, and patterns of conduct found to meet the legal threshold for genocide.
In September, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, urging states to act against the regime.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have likewise reported crimes against humanity and genocidal acts, calling for embargoes and accountability.
Therefore, any credible agreement must embed enforcement, humanitarian access, and a pathway to justice, not only a pause in fire.
