A major turning point in the Israel-Hamas conflict is approaching: US President Donald Trump announced that Israel has agreed to the " Initial withdrawal line" in the Gaza Strip, paving the way for an immediate ceasefire and exchanging prisoners on both sides - a sign that the "3,000-year tragedy" may be coming to an end.
In a post on the social network Truth Social on the evening of October 4 (US time), President Donald Trump wrote: After the negotiations, Israel approved the initial withdrawal boundary that we had given to Hamas. When Hamas confirms the ceasefire will take effect immediately, hostage and Prisoner exchanges will begin, facilitating the next withdrawal phase, bringing us closer to the end of the 3,000-year tragedy.
Mr. Trump ended the message with a meaningful line: "Thank you for paying attention to this issue - let's see what happens next!"
The White House announcement came just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the media that Israel was on the threshold of a huge achievement.
Mr. Netanyahu said: "The deal is not yet complete, but we are working very urgently. With God's blessing, in the coming days, I hope to announce the return of all Israeli hostages - both living and dead - while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintains control of strategic areas inside the Gaza Strip."
According to the first phase of the withdrawal plan, Hamas will release all Israeli hostages while the IDF reorganizes forces, but still keep control of some key areas deep in Gaza.
Mr. Netanyahu said that in the second phase, Hamas will be completely delimited, while the Gaza Strip will be decentralized, either by diplomatic means within the framework of the Trump Plan, or by military power - if necessary.
I said this in Washington: Either we can achieve the goal easily, or we will have to do it more difficultly, but we will certainly achieve it, he affirmed.
The Israeli prime minister also thanked President Trump for approving the deployment of B-2 bombers to attack Iran's Fordo nuclear facility, and praised Washington's " steadfast support" throughout the entire campaign.
From Gaza to Rafah, from Beirut to Damascus, from Yemen to Tehran - together, we have achieved great victories, Netanyahu said. From one victory to another, we are changing the face of the Middle East and we will continue to do so to ensure the longevity of Israel.
If confirmed in the coming hours, the withdrawal and ceasefire agreement promoted by President Trump could end one of the bloodiest and longest chapters in the modern Middle East's history, opening up the first true hope for peace in Gaza since the bloody attack on October 7, 2023.
