Trump and Netanyahu had 'emotional' conversation after announcing 'first phase' of Gaza peace deal

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump dropped a late-night bombshell on Wednesday, October 8.

Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of his peace plan to end the Gaza war and release all remaining hostages, exactly two years and a day after Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel.

Trump announces peace agreement

Trump posted on Truth Social, “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. This means that ALL of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw [its] troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable and everlasting Peace.”

A few hours later, he hailed the accord as “a great day for the world.” He gushed, “The whole world has come together on this one, Israel, every country has come together. This has been a fantastic day… a wonderful day for everybody.”

In an interview with Fox News, Trump got specific about when the long-awaited reunions might happen. “We think they will all be coming back on Monday… and that will include the bodies of the dead,” he said. “They [the hostages] are in a terrible situation there. They are deep, deep in the earth. As we speak, so much is happening to get the hostages freed.”

Unconfirmed reports mirrored Trump’s timeline, suggesting all hostages could indeed be freed by Monday. But this time, Hamas won’t be putting on the kind of public “hand-over shows” seen in previous swaps, where released captives were paraded before massive Gaza crowds.

What's inside Israel-Hamas peace deal

Two sources close to the talks told The Times of Israel that Hamas plans to release all remaining living hostages as early as Saturday. Out of 48 still held, only 20 are believed to be alive. The bodies of the rest, those who didn’t survive captivity, will also be returned.

The same sources revealed that the official signing ceremony will take place on Thursday in Egypt, with the final procedural details being wrapped up. “The biggest issues in the Gaza talks have been resolved,” one said, describing the signing as essentially a formality. Midday Cairo time is the tentative schedule.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has invited Trump to address Israel’s Knesset this weekend. “All parties will be treated fairly!” the US president declared on Truth Social, in what many interpreted as a message to Hamas, which has reportedly demanded American guarantees that Israel won’t restart the war once hostages are freed.

On Truth Social, Trump continued, “This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, all surrounding nations, and the United States of America; and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, who worked with us to make this historic and unprecedented event happen.”

He added, “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”

Netanyahu chimes in on peace deal

Almost immediately after Trump’s post, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued his own statement. “With God’s help we will bring them all home,” he said.

In a follow-up, Netanyahu called it “a great day for Israel,” adding, “I will convene the cabinet tomorrow to ratify the agreement and bring all our precious hostages home.”

He went on to thank Israeli soldiers “whose courage and sacrifice have brought us to this day,” as well as Trump and his aides “for their commitment to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages.”

“With God’s help, together, we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbors,” Netanyahu vowed.

The two leaders spoke shortly after Trump’s announcement. According to Netanyahu’s office, “The two held a very emotional and warm conversation, congratulating one another on the historic achievement of signing the agreement for the release of all the hostages.”

Hamas thanks Trump

In a statement confirming the deal, Hamas said it had agreed to an arrangement that “ends the war, withdraws Israeli troops, secures the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and ensures the release of Palestinian prisoners.”

Nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners are set to be released under the agreement, including 250 serving life sentences. Hamas expressed gratitude to the mediators and thanked Trump directly, crediting him for helping “to bring about a complete and final cessation of the war and the full withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip.”

The final deal signing is expected in Egypt by Thursday, followed by Trump’s much-anticipated weekend trip to the region.

As he told Channel 12’s Barak Ravid, “They want me to give a speech at the Knesset and I will definitely do that if they want me to. It is a great day for Israel and for the world. My call with Bibi was great. He is so happy. He should be. It is a great achievement. The whole world has come together to reach this deal including countries that were enemies.”

Two years ago, Hamas’s October 7 attack left the world horrified and sparked a cycle of bloodshed in the region. Now, 731 days later, Trump is promising a ceasefire everyone can live with.

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