Hours after announcing that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a Gaza peace plan, President Donald Trump said Oct. 9 that all remaining hostages could be released as early as Oct. 13.
Trump first announced the agreement Oct. 8 on Truth Social, saying it ensures 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.”
>> ‘The war in Gaza has ended’: Israel and Hamas sign off on Phase 1 of peace plan <<
Speaking at an Oct. 9 White House Cabinet meeting, Trump said, “We ended the war in Gaza and on a much bigger basis, created peace, and I think it’s going to be a lasting peace.”
He said all remaining hostages “should be released Monday or Tuesday,” adding that the day the hostages are released will be “a day of joy.”
Trump also said he plans to travel to Egypt for an official signing ceremony of the ceasefire agreement and hopes to be present when the hostages are freed.
Israeli officials confirmed that the ceasefire will take effect “within 24 hours” of an Israeli Cabinet meeting that was scheduled for Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. local time (10 a.m. EST), according to FOX News. Spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters that once the truce begins, Hamas will have 72 hours to release all hostages.
In an interview with FOX Oct. 9, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that Israel is already preparing to pull troops back behind the “yellow line” — a boundary laid out in Trump’s 20-point peace plan — ceding roughly 53% of Gaza’s territory. He said further withdrawals will be negotiated in later stages.
Sa’ar added that Gaza will be temporarily governed by a council of local Palestinians, with input from Trump and possible participation from the existing Palestinian Authority if the Authority agrees to reforms.
Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said mediators assured him the war had “ended permanently” and that Israel agreed to release all jailed Palestinian women and children, according to Reuters and Al-Jazeera, a Qatari-funded outlet.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s role in brokering the deal, posting on X: “Give @realDonaldTrump the Nobel Peace Prize — he deserves it!”
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