Israel and Hamas agree on first phase of US peace plan
Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a US peace plan for the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to bring all hostages home and reacted with relief to the plan. Hostage families welcomed the agreement.
The Middle East conflict has escalated since the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023. In the night to May 17, 2025, Israel announced a new major offensive in the Gaza Strip, worsening the humanitarian situation as Israel blocked aid imports for months.
Now there are advances in negotiations. Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of the US peace plan, as reported in a ZEIT liveblog. The Israeli government is set to approve the peace deal with Hamas today. Netanyahu promised: "I will bring all hostages home." He reacted with relief at 01:22 to the hostage release plan.
Hostage families welcomed the agreement. A Hamas representative spoke yesterday at 14:36 of "optimism" among all parties involved in the Gaza talks. The discussions continued in Egypt, with representatives from the US, Qatar, and Turkey. Israel and Hamas are said to have exchanged lists of hostages and prisoners. Hamas also demands the return of bodies of its leaders.
Further developments include: The Spanish parliament approved an arms embargo against Israel yesterday at 21:38. The German federal government urges Hamas to agree to the plan. The Union and SPD call for reconstruction aid for Gaza from Germany. US President Trump plans to fly to Egypt on Saturday or Sunday. The humanitarian crisis remains alarming, with reports of Israeli army stopping aid flotillas and Turkey accusing Israel of piracy.