United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal, marking what he described as a “historic breakthrough” in efforts to end the months-long conflict in the region.
Trump calls deal a ‘great day for peace’
Making the announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote that both Israel and Hamas had “signed off on the first phase” of a peace plan brokered by the United States with the help of Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey.
“This is a GREAT day for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, all surrounding nations, and the United States of America. We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey who worked with us to make this historic and unprecedented event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” Trump posted.
The announcement follows weeks of intense back-channel diplomacy involving multiple regional players. Trump had earlier presented a 20-point framework for a ceasefire during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on September 29.
Qatar confirms progress on ceasefire
Qatar, a key mediator in the negotiations, confirmed the development, saying that an agreement has been reached on “all the provisions and implementation mechanisms” of the first phase of the ceasefire plan.
Doha said that the truce includes steps toward halting hostilities, facilitating humanitarian aid to Gaza, and initiating talks on prisoner exchanges between Israel and Hamas. Details of the second phase of the plan are expected to be finalised in the coming days.
Israeli strikes continue despite ceasefire claim
Even as Trump announced the ceasefire deal, reports from Gaza indicated that Israeli airstrikes continued overnight. According to Al Jazeera Arabic, Israeli fighter jets bombed parts of western Gaza City, including at least one house in the al-Shati camp.
Ground forces also reportedly detonated an armoured vehicle loaded with explosives near residential areas in the Sabra neighbourhood, south of Gaza City. No casualties have been confirmed so far.
Eyewitnesses said the situation on the ground remained tense, with uncertainty over when the ceasefire would officially take effect.
US sought to control timing of announcement
According to Alan Fisher, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Washington, DC, the United States wanted to ensure that the announcement of the ceasefire came directly from Trump.
“It’s clear that the Americans wanted to make sure that if there was a ceasefire announced, it would be announced by Donald Trump, and they would say that’s only fair because things had really been locked up,” Fisher reported.
He added that there had been little visible progress in the peace talks until Trump intervened personally by presenting his ceasefire proposal. Trump’s meetings with Netanyahu and several Arab leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in September are believed to have paved the way for the current deal.
Global reactions and next steps
While the official text of the agreement has not yet been made public, early international reactions have been cautiously optimistic. European Union officials welcomed the development but called for “immediate and verifiable” steps to stop hostilities on the ground.
Observers say the first phase of the deal will be a test of both sides’ commitment to peace after months of intense violence in Gaza that has left thousands dead and displaced many more.
Further details on implementation, including monitoring mechanisms and timelines, are expected to be released jointly by mediators in Doha and Washington later this week.