Trump announces Israel has agreed to ‘initial withdrawal line’ in Gaza – but Hamas has not confirmed
Israel has agreed to an “initial withdrawal line” in Gaza, President Donald Trump announced Saturday.
“After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
Once Hamas confirms, the ceasefire will be effective “immediately” and the hostages and prisoner exchanges will begin, Trump continued, adding “we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expanded on the plans.
“Our goal is to limit the negotiations to just a few days. Trump made it clear: We will not tolerate stalling tactics or evasions,” Netanyahu said on Saturday.
He laid out a multi-phase plan.
First, Hamas will release the hostages while the Israeli military “maintains control of all of the dominant areas deep inside the strip,” he said.
Then, “Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarized. This will happen either through the diplomatic path by the Trump plan or through the military path, but it will be achieved,” the Israeli prime minister added.
On Friday, Trump called on Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza,” he wrote in a Truth Social post.
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that,” Trump said.
The U.S. president’s post came after an earlier statement released by Hamas agreeing “to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal” so long as “the field conditions for the exchange are met.”
Hamas “appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, [and] the immediate entry of aid,” the statement read.
