Israel and Hamas have reached a long-awaited agreement on a ceasefire and hostage exchange — marking the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan to end the devastating war in Gaza, which has claimed more than 67,000 lives and reshaped the Middle East.
The breakthrough came just a day after the second anniversary of Hamas’ cross-border attack that sparked Israel’s massive assault on Gaza.
Following intensive indirect negotiations in Egypt, both sides agreed on the initial stage of Trump’s 20-point framework aimed at restoring peace to the Palestinian enclave.
If fully implemented, the accord could bring Israel and Hamas closer to ending the conflict than any previous attempt. It also holds the potential to ease regional tensions involving countries such as Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon — and to address the growing international isolation of Israel amid a war that has profoundly transformed the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.