Trump says Israel, Hamas have both signed ‘first phase’ of peace deal; hostages set to be released

“Australia welcomes President Trump’s announcement that Israel and Hamas have signed the first phase of a plan to bring peace to Gaza,” the statement said.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the agreement should inspire hope in Australia and the world, as she urged Australians to suspend war-related protests once the ceasefire comes into force.

“Today is the beginning of the end of war and the beginning of lasting peace,” he said.

Speaking to this imprint from southern Gaza, where he works as a doctor, Mohammed Alastal said the announcement brought “a deep sense of relief and cautious optimism to the people of Gaza.”

“People here have learned to celebrate in moderation, knowing how fragile peace can be,” he said.

“Yet we choose to believe that this time can be different, that humanity and conscience will prevail, that the world will be with us as we rebuild our lives in peace.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a big day for Israel and that he would convene the government on Thursday (Israeli time) to ratify the agreement signed in Egypt.

“With God’s help, we will bring them all home,” he said on social media.

“I wholeheartedly thank President Trump and his team for their commitment to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages.”

Israeli media reported that Israel would retain control of more than half of Gaza under the agreement, but the Associated Press reported that the Israeli army could withdraw more than 70 percent of Gaza.

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The Israeli army said Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir instructed the forces to prepare strong defenses, be prepared for any scenario and prepare to manage the operation to return the hostages with precision and professionalism.

Confirming the agreement on its Telegram channel, Hamas called on Trump and the guarantor states to ensure that Israel fully implements the ceasefire, saying the group “will never give up the national rights of our people until freedom, independence and self-determination are achieved.”

The statement said Hamas appreciated the efforts of mediators Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye, and in an extraordinary change of tone, the group valued “the efforts of US President Donald Trump”.

The Hostage Families Forum, a grassroots group representing many families of Israeli hostages, said it received news of the ceasefire “with excitement, anticipation and concern.” He called on the Israeli government to meet immediately to ratify the agreement and praised Trump for his “determination and commitment that led to this historic progress.”

As Israelis flocked to Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square to celebrate, returning hostage Aviva Siegel said the news was “truly surprising” and that she and her husband Keith, who also escaped captivity, could finally smile.

Many questions remain, and the later stages of a peace agreement are likely to be more difficult to negotiate.

It was not immediately clear whether the sides had made any progress on tougher questions about the future of the conflict, including whether Hamas would demilitarize as Trump has demanded and the eventual governance of the war-torn region.

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It was also unclear which Palestinian prisoners would be released, but the list of people Hamas wants to release is believed to include some of the most prominent prisoners ever imprisoned by Israel.

But Israel and Hamas appear closer than at least since March to ending the war that has killed an estimated 67,200 Palestinians, flattened much of Gaza and eroded social cohesion around the world, including Australia.

The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network welcomed the postponement of the war but said it feared Israel would violate the ceasefire as it did in March.

“While this plan is an admission that Israel’s current position is untenable, it does not lift the murderous siege, dismantle the apartheid system, or end the occupation,” the group said.

“For the Australian Jewish community, the prospect of seeing the hostages finally return after two painful years brings both profound emotion and profound relief,” said Alon Cassuto, chief executive of the Zionist Federation of Australia.

“This day may close one of the most painful chapters in living memory,” he said.

A report published last month by a United Nations commission of inquiry found Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and accused Israeli officials of intending to kill as many Palestinians as possible.

Israel has denied the charge of genocide, saying it is waging war to secure the release of the hostages and to ensure that Hamas, which is listed as a terrorist organisation, can never again rule Gaza or threaten Israel’s security.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the agreement “a significant opportunity”, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described it as a moment of “deep relief that will be felt around the world”.

It is reported that Hamas’ wish list for the release of prisoners includes Marwan Barghouti, leader of the Fatah movement, and Ahmed Saadat, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Both are serving multiple life sentences for their involvement in attacks that killed Israelis.

Ahead of the announcement, Israeli officials had been pushing to include Barghouti, the best-known Palestinian prisoner serving five life sentences in Israeli prisons, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The person said Israeli officials made it clear to the United States that Barghouti’s release would mobilize far-right members of the Netanyahu coalition.

In his post announcing the deal, Trump said the development was a “historic and unprecedented event” that ensured fair treatment for all parties.

Earlier on Wednesday (US time) Trump said he might travel to Egypt this weekend.

Their envoys attended the talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, after two days of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, with the aim of signing a ceasefire and hostage release agreement based on the 20-point plan presented by Trump to the parties.

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs has just given me a note [Marco Rubio] “I’m saying we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East and they’re going to need me pretty quickly,” Trump said during an unrelated event at the White House.

The war in Gaza turned into a regional conflict after it began in response to Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, reshaping the Middle East by drawing in countries such as Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon.

Just a day after the second anniversary of the Hamas attack, negotiators handed over a list of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be released through a swap with Israel.

Israeli and Palestinian sources said Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close confidant of Netanyahu, arrived and began participating in the talks overnight.

According to Egyptian sources, Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, who has been mediating for a long time, also attended the talks.

Diplomatic sources said that in parallel with the Sharm el-Sheikh talks, Arab and other states will meet in Paris on Thursday to discuss the post-war transition of Gaza, and Washington will likely also be represented.

Hamas said the first few days of indirect talks focused on three issues: stopping the fighting, withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza and a swap agreement.

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The group has so far refused to discuss Israel’s demand that Hamas lay down its weapons. The Palestinian source said that Hamas will reject this demand as long as Israeli troops occupy Palestinian lands.

Two sources familiar with the talks confirmed that Israel’s withdrawal mechanism was also among the sticking points, with Hamas seeking a clear timeline for the release of hostages and guarantees of a full withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Israel reduced its military action in Gaza on Trump’s orders, but did not completely stop the attacks. The Israeli military said Wednesday that its forces killed several militants who they said were on their way to attack Israeli soldiers in Gaza City.

Trump’s plan calls for the establishment of an international body, led by Trump and including former British prime minister Tony Blair, that will play a role in the post-war management of Gaza. Arab countries that support the plan say it should lead to the eventual independence of the Palestinian state, which Netanyahu says will never happen.

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There is no clear indication of who will rule Gaza when the war ends. Netanyahu, Trump and Western and Arab states have denied any role for Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since expelling its Palestinian rivals in 2007.

Hamas has said it will leave administration of Gaza solely to a Palestinian technocrat government controlled by the Palestinian Authority and supported by Arab and Muslim countries. He denies any role by Blair or foreign rule of Gaza.