WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to implement the first phase of a White House peace plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza and Israeli hostages will soon be released.

Trump said in an Oct. 8 statement that Israel would also withdraw troops from Gaza "to an agreed upon line," heralding the agreement as a first step to durable and lasting peace in the region.

"This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America," Trump said in a Truth Social post, "and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen."

The announcement came several hours after Trump said he was considering a last-minute trip to the Middle East to help finalize the agreement that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and the Hamas militant group first signaled their support for last week.

The first phase of Trump's plan called for the release of Israeli hostages within 72 hours of an agreement being reached in exchange for Palestinians jailed in Israel. Trump said in a phone interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity on Wednesday evening that he expected living and deceased hostages to be released on Monday.

There are 48 remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

Once every hostage has been released, Trump's plan said Hamas members who agree to give up their weapons would receive amnesty. It also called for the immediate restoration of humanitarian aid.

"All Parties will be treated fairly!" Trump said in his Oct. 8 social media post.

The agreement comes after multiple failed attempts to defuse the two-year-old war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people hostage.

Israel's military campaign in response has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Negotiators from Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. met for several days in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff representing the United States in the discussions.

A deal appeared to be close at hand on the afternoon of Oct. 8, when Trump said during a White House roundtable that he was considering a trip to Egypt.

"Our final negotiation is with Hamas, and it seems to be going well," Trump said at the time.

Netanyahu invites Trump to address Knesset

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited Trump to address the Knesset of Israel in a call on Wednesday evening, the Israeli prime minister's office said in a statement.

The statement said that the leaders had a "very emotional and warm conversation" in which they congratulated one another on the hostage release agreement.

In an X post, Netanyahu also thanked Trump for his work on the agreement and expressed a desire to expand peace with Israel's neighbors.

"A great day for Israel. Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home," Netanyahu said.

Hamas thanks Trump, calls for end to war

Hamas has appeared willing to hand over governance of Gaza to a coalition of Palestinian technocrats as part of the plan. It has been less willing to completely disarm and commit to playing no future role in governance of Gaza.

In a statement, the group thanked Trump for his efforts to end the war and bring about a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

"We affirm that the sacrifices of our people's sacrifices will not be in vain, and that we will remain faithful to our pledge and will not abandon our people’s national rights: to achieve freedom, independence, and self-determination," a sttement posted to Telegram said, according to Reuters.

U.S. Lawmakers hopeful — but skeptical of a deal

House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, R-Florida, said in a statement on Wednesday evening that Trump had brought the world closer than it’s ever been to peace in Gaza. "This deal only works if Hamas follows through," he added. "We don’t trust terrorists, we trust results.”

Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat from Michigan, wrote on X: "I’m praying that this deal means we will finally see peace, see the hostages released, and see aid get into Gaza."

Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen said the agreement is a "step toward healing" and encouraged the Trump administration to continue leading the negotiations.

"We must continue to ensure Israel’s security, surge humanitarian aid to ease the suffering of innocent Palestinians in Gaza, and pursue steps toward a lasting peace that finally brings this conflict to an end,” Rosen, a Democrat, said in a statement.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the agreement brings a huge sigh of relief to hostages families.

"We must begin the even harder work of closing negotiations: to end the war, to start building the day after in Gaza without Hamas, to surge humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza, and to build a lasting peace that ensures security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians alike," Schumer said in a statement.

Who are the 48 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza?

Two years since Hamas' attack in southern Israel, 48 hostages -- 20 of whom are believed to still be alive -- in the Gaza Strip. The list includes two American citizens, according to the list collected by the American Jewish Committee.

Ariel Cunio (27) Alon Ohel (23) Eitan Horn (38) Avinatan Or (31) Elkana Bohbot (35) Evyatar David (24) Bipin Joshi (24) Ziv Berman (27) Gali Berman (27) David Cunio (34) Eitan Mor (24) Maxim Herkin (36) Omri Miran (47) Bar Abraham Kupershtein (23)

Guy Gilboa-Dalal (23) Nimrod Cohen (20) Matan Zangauker (25) Tamir Nimrodi (20) Matan Angrest (22) Segev Kalfon (27) Rom Braslavski (21) Yosef-Haim Ohana (24) Itay Chen (19) - U.S. CitizenEliyahu Margalit (75) Eitan Levi (52) Sahar Baruch (24)

Joshua Luito Mollel (21) Tal Haimi (41) Arie Zalmanowicz (85) Ran Gvili (24) Dror Or (48) Tamir Adar (38) Ronen Engel (54) Inbar Hayman (27) Guy Iluz (26) Asaf Hamami (41) Lior Rudaeff (61) Muhammad Al-Atarash (39)

Meny Godard (73) Omer Neutra (21) - U.S. CitizenYossi Sharabi (53) Daniel Oz (19) Daniel Perez (22) Uriel Baruch (35) Sontia Ok’Krasari (30) Sontisek Rintalk (43) Amiram Cooper (85) Hadar Goldin (23)

White House expects hostage release on Monday

Hostages are likely to begin to be released on Monday, although they could be returned sooner, a senior White House official said.

Trump's peace plan called for hostages to be released within 72 hours after both sides accepted an agreement, which Israel says it will formalize on Thursday. After that happens, Israel has to withdraw troops to an agreed upon line, which should take less than 24 hours, the official said. That will start the clock on the hostage release.

Celebrations break out in Tel Aviv Hostage Square

With tears, smiles and popping champagne, families and supporters in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square celebrated news of Hamas' acceptance of Trump's deal. Dozens of people and TV cameras flooded the square at 4 a.m. local time. The plaza has been occupied for 734 days since Hamas' brutal attack that originally kidnapped 251 people. Among those in the crowd, former hostages Emily Damari and Omer Shem Tov.

There are so many mixed emotions, Shem Tov told I24 News. The former Israeli soldier who was held in Gaza for 505 days expressed happiness but urged caution until the hostages return to Israel safely.

"You feel happiness and pressure, because until you have reached your mother and hugged her, it hasn't happened," Shem Tov said.

This story has been updated to include additional content.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says Israel and Hamas agree on peace deal, hostages will be released 'very soon'

Reporting by Francesca Chambers and Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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