Desk Report:
US President Donald Trump has announced that Israel has initially agreed to a ‘withdrawal line’ for the withdrawal of troops from Gaza. This proposal has also been sent to Hamas. The ceasefire will take effect immediately if Hamas agrees. At the same time, the release of Israeli hostages and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners will begin.
US broadcaster Fox News reported that Trump made this announcement on his own social media account Truth Social. Not only that, Trump claimed that his plan will end the 3,000-year-old catastrophic conflict.
Trump wrote, ‘After discussions, Israel has initially agreed to a withdrawal line. We have informed and shown it to Hamas. The ceasefire will take effect immediately once Hamas confirms it. The exchange of hostages and prisoners will begin. Then we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us closer to the end of this 3,000-year catastrophe.’
Earlier, on Saturday morning local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, ‘We are on the verge of a great achievement.’ Trump made the announcement just hours after his announcement. Netanyahu said, ‘It is not yet finalized. We are working very hard.’
The Israeli prime minister said, ‘We hope, by the grace of God, in the next few days, during the Sukkot festival, I will be able to tell you — all our hostages, alive or dead, have returned in one phase. At that time, the IDF (Israeli army) will remain inside Gaza and in the controlled areas.’
Netanyahu claimed that Hamas agreed to the plan proposed by Israel under military and diplomatic pressure. Although Hamas was previously ready to release the hostages without a complete withdrawal from Gaza. According to the plan, Hamas will release all Israeli hostages in the first phase. However, the IDF will maintain control of key strategic areas inside Gaza even if it changes its position.
Netanyahu will send his negotiating team to Egypt to finalize the technical aspects of the hostage release. This team will be led by Minister Ron Dermer. He expects the process to be completed within a few days. Netanyahu stressed that Israel and the United States want Hamas to be able to avoid any delay or delay.
In the second phase, according to Netanyahu’s plan, Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be made a militarily demilitarized zone. This could be done diplomatically under the “Trump Plan” or militarily. Netanyahu said, “I also said in Washington – whether it is easy or hard, it must be done.”
He added, “Together we have thwarted the plans of our enemies to destroy them. From Gaza to Rafah, from Beirut to Damascus, from Yemen to Tehran – we have achieved a lot together. Victory by victory, we are changing the face of the Middle East. We will continue to work together to ensure the eternal stability of Israel.’
Netanyahu thanked Trump. He expressed gratitude to Trump for sending B-2 fighter jets to bomb Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility and for his unwavering support.
