President Donald Trump asserts that the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas will secure lasting peace in the Middle East. Residents have been celebrating this agreement joyously in the streets.
‘On Monday, the hostages will return,’ the president declared triumphantly on Friday evening, calling the peace agreement an ‘everlasting success.’ He also pointed out that not only Gaza but ‘the entire Middle East’ will be rebuilt.
He emphasized that officials from countries like Iran, Russia, Egypt, and Qatar are keen to support his peace plan. The president also revealed that investments from regional stakeholders will fund Gaza’s reconstruction.
‘I can tell you that I saw Israel celebrating in the streets, but there were also celebrations in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and many other countries,’ the Republican remarked.
The Israeli military announced on Friday that the ceasefire is now in effect across Gaza city.
Israel’s government approved the agreement last night, allowing thousands of Gaza residents to move about the war-torn city. As per the agreement, Israeli forces have withdrawn accordingly.
The subsequent phase of the ceasefire includes a 72-hour window in which Hamas will release the remaining hostages along with the bodies of the deceased. In turn, Israel will release up to 2,000 Gaza prisoners as part of the deal.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted in his televised remarks last night that is not likely all the bodies of the deceased hostages will be recovered.
‘On Monday the hostages come back,’ the president said triumphantly. He also noted how not only Gaza will be rebuilt, but ‘it’s going to be the entire Middle East’
But the deal leaves a power vacuum, raising urgent questions about who will govern Gaza once the fighting stops. Pictured: Israeli tanks arrive at a gathering site after withdrawing from the Gaza Strip
Meanwhile, Trump also shared that he will be speaking to the Knesset, or the Israeli parliament, on his trip, which will also include a stop in Egypt.
The president announced the breakthrough on his Truth Social platform yesterday by quoting from the Gospel of Matthew: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’ Even before a deal had been signed, he was looking forward, saying that ‘Iran wants peace’, and ending the war in Ukraine was ‘going to happen’ next.
Trump told his cabinet: ‘The whole world has come together for this. People who didn’t like each other, neighboring countries. This is a moment in time.
‘We reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East, something people said was never going to be done. We ended the war in Gaza. An everlasting peace.’
He added: ‘It’s really peace in the Middle East. You remember October 7 was terrible, but from the Hamas standpoint, they’ve probably lost 70,000 people. That’s big retribution. At some point, that whole thing has to stop.’
Trump – expected to be feted as a hero when he visits the region on Sunday – used the force of his personality to broker the deal.
The President’s 20-point peace plan – hammered out in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh along with negotiators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey – was achieved despite America refusing to follow the lead of Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron in controversially recognizing a Palestine state.
Securing the return of the hostages comes at a price, though, with Israel agreeing to release 2,000 Hamas prisoners. The country’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich branded the deal ‘short-sighted’, adding: ‘There is immense fear of the consequences of emptying the prisons and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders who will do everything to continue to pour rivers of Jewish blood here.’
Trump pledged Hamas disarmament as part of the second phase, with hardline Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatening to topple Mr Netanyahu’s government unless the promise is followed through.
Under the plan, a transitional committee of Palestinians and international experts would run the territory, overseen by a new Board of Peace chaired by Donald Trump.
Hamas and other militant groups would be banned from any role in government, and all weapons, tunnels, and military infrastructure would be dismantled under independent supervision.
Netanyahu has warned Hamas that they must keep with the demands of the peace plan by enacting a full disarmament
A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office early Friday said the Cabinet approved the ‘outline’ of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial
However Hamas has vowed to keep its weapons despite Israel insisting on full demilitarization, the question of who will control the region remains unanswered.
Earlier today, Netanyahu struck a defiant tone, warning that Hamas must still meet Israel’s demands for disarmament and security guarantees.
Under Mr Trump’s plan, 400 trucks a day of humanitarian aid will start entering Gaza. A UN aid spokesman said: ‘Let’s get the hostages out and surge aid in – fast.’
