Phase one of Trump's Gaza deal takes effect 12 pm; details revealed

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen
Today 09:30

Despite claims of progress, the announced ceasefire comes as Israeli strikes continue and doubts grow over whether the deal will bring lasting relief to Palestinians in Gaza.

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Palestinians carry plastic bottles with water in an area of a makeshift tent camp for forcibly displaced people along the shore of al-Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025 (AP)

US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that “Israel” and Hamas agreed to implement the first phase of his proposed peace plan for the Gaza Strip, following indirect negotiations held in Egypt earlier this week.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, "I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen."

A source familiar with the agreement told Reuters on Thursday that the signing of the first stage of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan is expected to take place at noon on Thursday (09:00 GMT).

The source added that the ceasefire is set to take effect on the ground in Gaza once the deal is formally signed.

Ceasefire details

A senior Hamas official confirmed that the movement would release 20 Israeli captives in exchange for the release of more than 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including 250 serving life sentences and 1,700 detained since the start of the war on Gaza two years ago.

A Palestinian source familiar with the talks told AFP that the exchange is expected to take place within 72 hours of the deal’s implementation, adding that “the agreement has been approved by all Palestinian factions.”

According to the source, the agreement, set to be formally signed in Cairo at noon on Thursday (09:00 GMT), also stipulates the entry of at least 400 aid trucks into Gaza each day “during the first five days after the ceasefire begins.”

The source said the number of trucks “will increase in the coming days” and that forcibly displaced Palestinians from southern Gaza will be allowed to return to Gaza City and the northern areas as soon as the ceasefire takes effect.

In a statement, Hamas called on Trump to ensure “Israel fulfills all its commitments under the agreement and is prevented from evading or delaying its implementation.”

Captives may be released on Saturday

Israeli captives held by the Palestinian Resistance may be released as early as Saturday, a source briefed on the details of the agreement told Reuters.

Additionally, Israeli occupation forces will complete the first stage of their partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip within 24 hours of the deal being signed. The ceasefire agreement is being branded as an initiative led by Trump for Gaza. The agreement follows two years of relentless Israeli bombardment and destruction, which has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians according to initial figures.

Israeli military prepares for partial withdrawal

Meanwhile, the Israeli military command says that its forces are preparing for a partial pullback within the Gaza Strip, as per the agreement. The occupation's military said, following “the directives of the political echelon and in accordance with a situation assessment, the IDF has begun operational preparations for the implementation of the agreement.”

Troops will be moved to “adjusted deployment lines in the near future.”

Israeli cabinet will meet to vote

Amid internal Israeli divisions on the ceasefire agreement, the miniaturized Israeli security cabinet will meet to be briefed on the ceasefire deal at 5:00 pm (local time). Later, the broader Israeli government will vote on formally accepting the mediated deal.

Next steps

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said both sides “agreed on all the terms and mechanisms for implementing the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which will bring an end to the fighting, facilitate the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and allow humanitarian aid to enter the Strip. Details will be announced later.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene his cabinet on Thursday to ratify the agreement.

A Hamas official noted that discussions on implementing the second phase of Trump’s plan would begin “immediately” after the first phase starts. Trump said he believes that “all the hostages, including the deceased, will be returned by Monday.”

Israeli airstrikes pound Gaza despite the agreement announcement

Despite the announcement of the ceasefire deal, Israeli warplanes launched a series of heavy airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Thursday, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense.

Mohammad al-Mughayyar, a Civil Defense official, told AFP that “since the announcement of the proposed ceasefire deal tonight, several explosions have been reported, particularly in the northern parts of the Strip,” noting that the bombardment was concentrated on Gaza City.

He added that central Khan Younis in southern Gaza was also targeted by artillery and air raids at dawn and that Israeli aircraft flew at low altitude over forcibly displaced people’s tents in both southern Gaza and Gaza City.

Earlier today, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Gaza reported that the Israeli occupation army continues its bombardment across various areas of the Gaza Strip, despite the official announcement of a ceasefire agreement.

According to our correspondent, "Israel's" genocide destroyed nearly 80% of Gaza over the past two years. The impact of the aggression has left the fate of thousands of civilians and journalists still unknown, amid a complete collapse of infrastructure and major obstacles preventing rescue teams from accessing many of the hardest-hit areas.

Occupation warplanes reportedly continue to fly over the Strip and launch airstrikes, he added.

IOF warn against returning North

On Thursday morning, the Israeli occupation forces renewed their warnings to forcibly displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza, urging them not to return to Gaza City or northern areas, citing the “continuation of military operations.”

A military spokesperson said the area north of Wadi Gaza “remains a dangerous combat zone” and that Israeli occupation forces “continue to encircle Gaza City,” warning that “returning there would be extremely dangerous.”

Meanwhile, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that Palestinians in Gaza are anxiously waiting for the ceasefire to officially take effect.

On its part, the Government Media Office called on the Palestinian people to exercise the highest levels of caution during movement, stressing the importance of awaiting an official announcement from the relevant Palestinian authorities before feeling fully reassured.

The office urged citizens not to move along al-Rashid and Salah al-Din streets or in their surrounding areas until the field situation becomes clear, as residents of the Strip await the implementation of the agreement and a complete halt to the bombardment.