Consensus on ‘most of’ Gaza ceasefire deal, says Trump

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump said Friday that Israel and Hamas agree on “most” of his proposed Gaza ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange deal, though he acknowledged potential challenges in the implementation.

“There is consensus on most of it, and some of the details, like anything else, will be worked out,” Trump said in the Oval Office during an announcement to slash drug prices.

“You’ll find out that when you're sitting in a beautiful room in Egypt, it's easy to work something out, but then sometimes it doesn't work from a practical standpoint,” he added.

Trump noted plans to visit Israel and Egypt to mark the deal that would end Israel’s two-year offensive on the Palestinian territory.

“I'll be there … I think I'll go to Cairo. I think that's where we're going, as opposed to the place of the signing,” he said, adding that many world leaders have been invited to attend.

Trump said he would address the Knesset, or Israel’s parliament, during the trip, which he indicated would end late Tuesday, when he intends to return to the US for an event to award slain right-wing commentator and activist Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

He said that on Monday, Israeli hostages held in Gaza would start being returned under the deal. “Only a few people know where they (hostages) are, in some cases. So, they're getting them,” he said.

“I can tell you that I saw Israel dancing in the streets, but they were dancing in Qatar and Saudi Arabia and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and many, many countries,” Trump added.

A Gaza ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas early Thursday in Egypt’s Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, mediated by guarantor states Qatar, Egypt, the US and Türkiye.

The 20-point ceasefire plan, first announced Sept. 29 by Trump, includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas and the rebuilding of Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has left Gaza largely uninhabitable, leading to widespread starvation and diseases.

Israel has approved “phase one” of the ceasefire agreement, and Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said the group received guarantees that the deal means the war in Gaza “has ended completely.”