Breaking: Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal Includes Hostage Exchange and Troop Withdrawal

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reached a significant diplomatic breakthrough in the ongoing Gaza conflict.

President Trump announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have successfully negotiated the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement, following extensive indirect discussions in Egypt.

Qatar, which served as a mediator alongside Egypt, the United States, and Turkey, described the arrangement as the "first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid."

On his Truth Social platform, Trump stated: "ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace."

Here are the key components of the agreement scheduled for formal signing on Thursday in Egypt:

The deal includes a prisoner exchange where Hamas will release 20 living hostages in return for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners - 250 of whom are serving life sentences and 1,700 who have been detained since the war began.

According to a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations who spoke to AFP, this exchange should occur within 72 hours of the deal's implementation, which was also "agreed with Palestinian factions."

The agreement further stipulates specific Israeli troop withdrawals coordinated with the prisoner exchange and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the famine-stricken Gaza Strip.

A Hamas official confirmed that a minimum of 400 aid trucks will enter Gaza daily during the first five days of the ceasefire, with plans to increase this number in subsequent days.

The deal also allows for "the return of displaced persons from the south of the Gaza Strip to Gaza (City) and the north immediately," according to Hamas representatives.

Hamas has called on President Trump to ensure Israel fully implements the agreement without delay or evasion.

Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari confirmed that both sides have reached consensus "on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to convene his government on Thursday to officially approve the agreement.

The formal signing ceremony is scheduled for Thursday around midday in Egypt, according to an anonymous source familiar with the agreement.

A Hamas official indicated that negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire would commence "immediately."

President Trump's comprehensive 20-point plan for Gaza outlines a ceasefire, the release of all hostages held in Gaza, Hamas's disarmament, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the territory.