Palestinians celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan on Thursday. (Photo: AP)
Photo : AP
Hours after US President Donald Trump’s announcement, a senior Hamas official said the group had received guarantees from the US, Arab mediators and Turkey that the war on Gaza has permanently ended.
Khalil al-Hayya, who heads Hamas’s negotiating team, said the initial stage of the deal would involve the exchange of captives and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. “We have received assurances from the brotherly mediators and the US administration, who have confirmed that the war is completely over,” al-Hayya said.
He added that under the agreement, Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, as well as 1,700 detainees from Gaza arrested since the war began, along with all Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons.
The announcement came hours after US President Donald Trump said the “first phase” of a plan to end the Gaza conflict had been agreed. The proposal includes a pause in fighting and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
Trump said he intends to travel to Egypt for an official signing ceremony of the ceasefire agreement, during opening remarks at a White House Cabinet meeting.