US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had formally agreed to the first stage of a US-brokered peace plan, under which all hostages held in Gaza will be released and IDF forces will carry out a withdrawal to an agreed upon line.
Trump called the agreement a major breakthrough and praised Qatar, Egypt and Turkey for helping mediate what he described as an unprecedented step toward lasting peace in the region.
A spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry also confirmed that an "agreement had been reached overnight on all the terms and implementation mechanisms for the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal. The agreement will lead to an end to the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "With God's help – we will bring everyone back."
