Israel has agreed to a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, mediated by former U.S. President Donald Trump, paving the way for an end to the two-year war and the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
The approval came after Trump and Hamas chief negotiator Khalil Hayya announced the end of the war, with Hayya confirming in a televised speech that both sides had reached a final agreement guaranteed by the U.S. Trump has stated that he will visit the Middle East this weekend to witness the signing of the agreement, indicating that the exchange of prisoners and hostages will occur on Monday or Tuesday.
According to U.S. officials, 200 American soldiers will be deployed to Israel to help coordinate the implementation of the agreement through a coordination center involving Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, without deploying troops in Gaza.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed that the agreement represents the first phase of a peace plan, clarifying that Israel does not intend to resume hostilities. The agreement calls for a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces while maintaining control over approximately 53% of the territory, followed by a 72-hour deadline for Hamas to release all hostages and hand over the bodies of the deceased.
Israel will also release 250 prisoners sentenced to life and 1,700 detainees from Gaza in exchange for the release of around 20 Israeli hostages. The United Nations is preparing to deliver urgent aid, including food and medicine, to the region, which is suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis.
In Gaza, residents expressed cautious hope that the agreement might mark the beginning of an end to their long suffering, despite ongoing uncertainty about the future governance of the territory and the possibility of sustaining the ceasefire.
