Israel, Hamas Peace Plan Deal Highlights: Israel approves Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal

The United States is sending about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private sector players, U.S. officials said Thursday.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release, said U.S. Central Command is going to establish a “civil-military coordination center” in Israel that will help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into the territory wracked by two years of war. (AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while speaking at the cabinet meeting alongside United States special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, said that Israel is about to achieve the goal of the return of its hostages in Gaza.

“We’ve fought during these two years to achieve our war aims…A central one of these war aims is to return the hostages, all of the hostages, the living and the dead. And we are about to achieve that goal,” he said.

He added that Israel “couldn’t have achieved it without the extraordinary help of President Trump and his team, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They worked tirelessly with Ron [Dermer] and his team, our team. And that, and the courage of our soldiers, to enter Gaza, and combine military and diplomatic pressure that isolated Hamas, I think has brought us to this point.”

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, in a rare interview with Israel's Channel 12 network Thursday, expressed hope that peace would prevail between Palestinians and Israelis following the signing of a Gaza ceasefire agreement.

"What happened today is a historic moment. We have been hoping -- and continue to hope -- that we can bring an end to the bloodshed taking place in our land, whether in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, or East Jerusalem," Abbas said.

"Today, we are very happy that the bloodshed has ceased. We hope it remains this way, and that peace, security, and stability will prevail between us and Israel." (AFP)

The Speaker of the Knesset, Amir Ohana, invited United States President Donald Trump to address Israeli parliament.

"It is my profound honor and privilege to officially invite the greatest friend and ally of the Jewish people in modern history, @POTUS @realDonaldTrump, to deliver a formal address to the nation before the Knesset. Israel awaits The Peace President," he said in a post on X.

Israeli Defence Forces said at 1.07 am on Friday (IST) that a “short while ago, the IDF struck a Hamas terrorist cell in the northern Gaza Strip that was operating in close proximity to IDF troops and posed an immediate threat to the troops operating in the area.”

United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday he “hopes” to be in Middle East for the release of Gaza hostages and hinted that he is planning to leave on Sunday.

"The hostages will be coming back Monday or Tuesday. I'll probably be there. I hope to be there. And we're planning on leaving sometime Sunday, and I look forward to it," Trump told reporters in the White House.

Hamas' chief negitiator Khalil al-Hayya made his first speech on Thursday (local time) after the ceasefire agreement and said that the group received guarantee from the US that the war in Gaza would end.

“We acted responsibly in relation to [US President Donald] Trump’s plan…Today we announce an agreement to end the war, [see Israel] withdraw from the Strip and carry out a prisoner exchange,” The Times of Israel quoted al-Hayya as saying.

“We received guarantees from the mediators and the Americans that the war has ended indefinitely,” he added.

Israel's security cabinet meeting to approve the ceasefire and hostage release plan has concluded, reported The Times of Israel citing the office of one of the attendees. The meeting will be followed by a vote by the full cabinet.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the Gaza hostages should be released on Monday or Tuesday, adding that he hopes to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt and address the Israeli Knesset, reported Reuters.

At the start of a White House cabinet meeting, Trump discussed a deal reached on Wednesday under which hostages held by Hamas militants are to be freed in the first phase of a broader Gaza plan. He said he believed it would bring "lasting peace."

Under the plan, Trump said Gaza is going to be "slowly redone," referring to reconstruction efforts in the Palestinian enclave. He gave no further details, except to say, "we're going to create something where people can live. You can't live right now in Gaza."

According to the agreement, Hamas is expected to release the 20 living hostages together, 72 hours after the ceasefire begins.

"We are getting the hostages back on Tuesday - Monday or Tuesday - and that'll be a day of joy," Trump said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paused his security cabinet meeting to speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a phone call.

“Prime Minister Modi congratulated Prime Minister Netanyahu on the agreement reached for the release of all the hostages,” Times of Israel reported, citing a statement from Netanyahu's office.

PM Modi “noted that Netanyahu has always been a close friend and that their friendship will remain strong.”

Netanyahu thanked his Indian counterpart “for his support of Israel, and the two agreed to continue working in close cooperation".

US President Donald Trump on Thursday evening said that his administration "ended" the war in Gaza, adding that he thinks there will be lasting peace in the region.

"Hostages will be released on Monday or Tuesday," he added.

"I will try to get to Middle East. We will have signing in Egypt," he said, adding that Gaza will be redone after the war ends.

After a delay of an hour and a half, the Israeli security cabinet meeting is now underway, Times of Israel reported.

The meeting will vote on a deal to begin the ceasefire and secure the release of hostages in Gaza.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he spoke to US President Donald Trump and congratulated him "on the success of the historic Gaza peace plan".

"Also reviewed the good progress achieved in trade negotiations. Agreed to stay in close touch over the coming weeks," his X post added.

The Israeli cabinet meeting to discuss the Gaza ceasefire plan and the release of hostages has been postponed to 8 pm local time (10:30 PM IST), local media reported.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the three core goals he established for the war in Gaza have been accomplished.

The statement by Prime Minister’s Office spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian in a televised briefing comes as Israel prepares to ratify the hostage release and ceasefire agreement announced earlier today.

“We have hit a critical point in this war. From day one in this war, the prime minister laid out three objectives — the return of all of our hostages, the defeat and dismantling of Hamas and ensuring Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel,” Bedrosian said.

In a statement suggesting a declaration of victory, she says, “All of the prime minister’s objectives have now been achieved.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet ministers have gathered at his office in Jerusalem to discuss the Gaza ceasefire deal agreed upon in Egypt.

According to the Times of Israel, the meeting has not yet started.

Iran on Thursday called on the international community to prevent Israel from violating its obligations in Gaza, its foreign ministry said.

The foreign ministry said that Tehran supports any efforts that ends the "genocide" and the war in Gaza.

Iran on Thursday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement, "Iran has always supported any action and initiative that includes stopping the genocidal war, withdrawal of the occupying forces, bringing in humanitarian aid, releasing Palestinian prisoners and realising the fundamental rights of the Palestinians."

Following the ceasefire plan announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that US President Donald Trump should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Just a day before the declaration of the award, Netanyahu said in a post on X via the PMO handle, "Give @realDonaldTrump the Nobel Peace Prize -- he deserves it!"

Israeli President Isaac Herzog's office said that his US counterpart Donald Trump is expected to be in Jerusalem on Sunday. The statement also said that Herzog cancelled his Sunday plans in view of Trump's likely visit, Reuters reported.

However, there was no official announcement on the US President's visit.

Israeli foreign minister told Fox News that Israel does not have any intention "to renew the war" in Gaza.

He said that the country is "committed" to US President Donald Trump's peace plan.

An Israeli spokeswoman said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had an "emotional and warm" phone call after the Gaza peace deal was announced.

"In a phone call earlier this morning, Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked President Trump for his global leadership efforts to make this all possible," Shosh Bedrosian told reporters.

"It was a very emotional and a warm conversation as both leaders congratulated each other on this historic achievement," she added.

Israel has said that it will not exchange jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, a key name in Hamas' prisoners list, for hostages.

Israel has said that its security cabinet will meet at 14:00 GMT (7:30 PM IST) to vote on Gaza peace agreement.

An Israeli government spokeswoman said that within 24 hours after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, "there will be a ceasefire in Gaza".

She said that following the 24-hour period, "the 72-hour period for the hostages to be released will begin".

The spokeswoman also noted that the final draft of phase one of the peace deal was signed in Egypt on Thursday morning.