On October 8, 2025, President Donald Trump announced a significant breakthrough in the Israel-Hamas conflict, revealing that both parties had agreed to the first phase of a U.S.-proposed Gaza peace deal. This initial agreement includes the release of all Israeli hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops to a designated line, marking the beginning of a broader effort aimed at achieving lasting peace. The announcement was made via Trump’s platform, Truth Social, and comes just one day after the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which led to a severe Israeli military response in Gaza. According to Gaza authorities, over 67,000 people have died and significant destruction has occurred in the enclave. The original attack had resulted in about 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages taken, with 20 of the remaining 48 believed to still be alive. Trump also indicated plans to travel to Egypt to support ongoing negotiations related to the ceasefire and hostage release. reuters.com
In a subsequent roundtable discussion on October 8, 2025, President Trump addressed the peace talks in Egypt between Israel and Hamas, stating that a deal is "very close" and expressing his intention to visit Egypt towards the end of the week to support the negotiations. He emphasized the global unity behind the deal, praising the cooperation between Israel and other international actors in reaching the agreement. Trump described the outcome as a "fantastic" and "wonderful" day that brings benefit to all parties involved. reuters.com