US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, October 8, that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his peace plan, following talks in Egypt on ending the war in Gaza.

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump said on his Truth Social network. “This means 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.”

Trump also thanked mediators Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, adding: “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”

The initial agreement was confirmed by Israeli officials and Hamas, as well as mediator Qatar. Mediators said Israel and Hamas had reached a deal for a hostage-prisoner exchange and aid entry into Gaza, Egyptian state-linked media reported.

After Trump reported the deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said Israel would bring home all the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

“With God’s help we will bring them all home,” Netanyahu’s office said in a brief statement.

As for Hamas, the Palestinian militant group said “it has reached an agreement providing for an end to the war in Gaza, the withdrawal of the occupation, the entry of humanitarian aid and exchange of prisoners.”

It also called on Trump to compel Israel to fully implement the agreement and “not allow it to evade or procrastinate in implementing what has been agreed.”

Meanwhile, Qatar foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari wrote that “details will be announced later,” posting on X:

“The mediators announce that tonight an agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid. The details will be announced later.”

The war began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.