Friday, October 10, 2025

Israel, Hamas agree to 'phase one' of Trump-brokered peace plan

The leaders of Hamas and Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed to phase one of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Donald Trump may finally be on the verge of ending the war in Gaza, a brutal siege that has killed more than 70,000 people, according to local authorities.

A ceasefire is set to begin within 24 hours after Israel's ministers agreed to the plan on Thursday.

But both sides of the American political spectrum now increasingly agree: the biggest obstacle between a temporary ceasefire and a permanent peace deal remains Benjamin Netanyahu.

Even as leaders of Hamas vowed to return all living and dead hostages, Israeli military forces continued to carry out strikes throughout the day Thursday, according to reports from inside Gaza.

Trump himself was posed questions about Netanyahu’s level of commitment to the deal’s capacity to end the war on a long-term basis, and found himself unable to qualify it.

Asked how he could guarantee Hamas would disarm and Israel would not resume bombardments of Gaza at a Cabinet meeting, the U.S. president responded that his current priority was the return of hostages: “After that, we’ll see...but they’ve agreed to things."

Reporting throughout Thursday indicated that significant roadblocks are still in the way of extending 'phase one', and implementing the broader 20-point plan announced by the White House.

Nearly all stem from Israeli unwillingness to accept Palestinian demands, including for a pathway to statehood.

The Quincy Institute's Trita Parsi wrote on Thursday: "Bottom line is that Trump must retain pressure on all parties — particularly Israel — to ensure that the prisoner exchange is followed up with a full end to the war."

Those sentiments, once only held by progressives, are now finding equal purchase on the right.

Read more here.

By John Bowden

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Israeli cabinet signs off on peace deal as ceasefire with Hamas nears

Hope for a permanent end to a conflict that has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians is cautiously growing as a ceasefire is due to begin within hours. The Independent has live coverage featuring on-the-ground reporting from chief international correspondent Bel Trew.

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