U.S President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel and Hamas have begun taking concrete steps toward implementing a new peace agreement brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, with both sides initiating actions aligned with the first phase of the deal.
Israeli media on Thursday reported that the country’s Security Cabinet was scheduled to convene for a detailed briefing on the agreement, with a full government vote expected to follow shortly after.
Zaher Jabareen, who heads the prisoner affairs office for Hamas, confirmed that the group had submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners to be released as part of the deal. He noted that the names were selected in accordance with the criteria agreed upon and were now awaiting final approval.
> “The lists have been submitted according to the agreed criteria, and we await confirmation before going public with the names,” Jabareen stated.
The peace deal, which emerged from indirect negotiations hosted in Egypt, was unveiled by President Trump in a late-night announcement. It marks the first serious diplomatic breakthrough in the Gaza conflict in over two years.
> “This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X.
The 20-point plan outlines an initial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza to a designated line, in exchange for the release of all hostages held by Hamas—both living and deceased—since the October 7, 2023 attack.
In turn, Israel is expected to release approximately 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, along with about 1,700 detainees arrested in the aftermath of the conflict.
The deal has received international praise, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog has gone as far as to say Trump should be honored with the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
> “There is no doubt that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this,” Herzog wrote on X, describing the agreement as “a chance to mend, to heal, and to open a new horizon of hope for our region.”
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 is expected to be announced Friday.
The unfolding developments mark a potentially historic turn in one of the world’s longest-running and most volatile conflicts, with both supporters and skeptics closely watching whether this first phase of the agreement can hold.
(dpa/NAN)
