Trump announces first phase deal in Gaza peace talks
President Donald Trump announced on October 8, 2025, that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a U.S.-backed peace plan for Gaza. The deal involves the release of all hostages held by Hamas and an Israeli troop withdrawal to an agreed line. Trump hinted at a possible trip to the Middle East to advance the negotiations.
On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of his Middle East peace plan. "I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan," Trump wrote. "This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace."
He thanked mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, calling it a "GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America." The first phase centers on a swap: Hamas releasing all 48 hostages still held in Gaza, living and dead, within 72 hours in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israel. Only 20 hostages are believed alive, and Hamas is searching for the bodies of the others, though locating them all is uncertain.
Negotiations have taken place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, where Israeli and Hamas officials convened on Monday with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Diplomats including Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and Turkey's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin joined this week. An Israeli source indicated talks are down to a shortlist of prisoner names and withdrawal corridors, with the Israeli cabinet set to vote on next steps. A U.S. official described progress as limited to "a couple of points."
Trump, speaking from the White House, said negotiations are "going along very well" and involve Hamas alongside numerous Arab and Muslim countries. He unveiled a 20-point plan on September 29, 2025, during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit, which includes amnesty for Hamas members who surrender arms and transforming Gaza into a "deradicalized terror-free zone." Trump warned of "massive bloodshed" if no deal is reached and floated a potential trip to the region by Saturday or Sunday. Hamas had announced on Friday its agreement to release all Israeli hostages as part of the proposal. The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023.