Israel has reportedly agreed to a ceasefire and to withdraw its troops to the first ceasefire line outlined in U.S. President Donald Trump’s new Middle East peace plan, unveiled earlier this week.
In a post to Truth Social, President Trump announced:
“After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas. When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE.”
While Hamas rejected the broader terms of Trump’s peace framework after being given a 48-hour ultimatum, it accepted the prisoner exchange portion of the deal. The agreement will see all remaining Israeli prisoners—dead or alive—released in exchange for roughly 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, including about 250 serving life sentences.
Despite Hamas’ partial rejection of the plan, Trump deemed their response satisfactory and demanded that Israel halt its bombing of Gaza. Israel reportedly resisted at first, launching a large scale bombing campaign across Gaza after Trump's announcement demanding it stop, but complied early Saturday, according to regional media sources.
Under the Trump plan, once the prisoner exchanges are completed, Israeli forces are expected to withdraw further to a second demarcation line. However, it remains unclear whether this will proceed, as Hamas has refused to disarm and insists that administration of Gaza be transferred to an independent technocratic Palestinian body—something Israel is unlikely to accept.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced a sharp backlash from hardliners within his coalition and the Likud Party, who accuse him of “surrendering” to international pressure and making unacceptable concessions.
While domestic criticism of Netanyahu has focused primarily on his handling of the war, which prioritized war over securing a deal for the release of prisoners, rather than humanitarian concerns for Palestinians, the release of all Israeli prisoners could shift political dynamics inside Israel. Once the prisoners are freed, Netanyahu may seek to resume military operations, potentially testing Trump’s resolve to enforce the ceasefire and end the war—something Israeli officials are reportedly already lobbying against behind the scenes.