Gaza ceasefire 'closer'…Trump "Israel agrees to Phase 1 troop withdrawal line"

U.S. President Donald Trump said that Israel has agreed to a Phase 1 troop withdrawal plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip. If Hamas accepts it, a ceasefire and hostage exchange are expected to begin immediately.

On the 4th (local time), President Trump posted on his social media Truth Social, "After negotiations, Israel agreed to the Phase 1 withdrawal line that we proposed and conveyed to Hamas," and said, "If Hamas accepts this, a ceasefire will take effect immediately and the exchange of hostages and prisoners will begin." He released a photo marking the Gaza withdrawal area along with the post and added, "If conditions are then arranged for a Phase 2 withdrawal, we can end the catastrophe of 3,000 years."

Earlier that morning, President Trump also said, "I appreciate Israel stopping the bombing," and urged, "Hamas must quickly release the hostages." Although Israeli airstrikes continued through the 4th, President Trump characterized this as a 'cessation of bombing' and pressed Hamas to act. He said, "If Hamas drags out the process or continues additional threats, all agreements will be void," and emphasized, "We should finish this quickly, and all parties must be treated fairly."

On the 29th of last month, President Trump held a summit at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and unveiled a Gaza peace plan consisting of 20 provisions. He later said, "Israel and major Arab and Islamic countries have agreed to this plan," and urged Hamas to accept it.

When Hamas accepted some conditions the previous day, such as the release of all hostages and relinquishing power within the Gaza Strip, President Trump requested that Israel stop the bombing. With Israel agreeing this time to the Phase 1 withdrawal line, assessments say the possibility of a full ceasefire has increased.

President Trump has dispatched his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to Egypt to conduct negotiations on hostage releases and a ceasefire. Kushner led Middle East peace efforts during Trump's first administration, and Witkoff is known as a key diplomatic channel that has mediated in the Gaza and Ukraine wars.

According to local media in Israel, Qatar, and Egypt and the German dpa news agency, the two sides are expected to begin full-scale ceasefire negotiations in Egypt from the 5th under the mediation of Kushner and Witkoff.