Donald Trump has said that the first stages of a 'peace plan' have been reached by Israel and Hamas.
The US president announced on Wednesday (8 October) afternoon, while speaking at the White House, that a peace deal is 'very close' following separate lengthy discussions with Israel and Hamas.
According to the White House, Trump is even 'considering travelling to the Middle East in the next few days'. It comes following reports that a Palestinian official claimed that a seven-hour talk with the Hamas delegation and Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators came to a conclusion.
If the deal is officially approved by the Israeli government, it's believed that a possible end to the war between the nation and Palestine could be reached.
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They are set to meet today (9 October) to approve the deal, with a ceasefire set to go into effect immediately.
It was revealed that mediators are meeting Israel's delegation to iron out the finer details, though the president took time to speak with relatives of Israeli hostages in Washington, DC, to state that their family members will be back with them on Monday (13 October).
Taking to Truth Social, Trump wrote: "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."
He added on the social media platform: "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."
What will happen if the Hamas-Israel agreement is approved?
It's been reported that the peace agreement would see Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released, while Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza.
The entry of aid into Gaza will also be greenlit.
Israel's government is said to be meeting this afternoon at 2.00pm Jerusalem time (12.00 BST), with their approval the only thing standing in the way of the peace deal going into full effect.
While Hamas has confirmed the deal, the BBC reports that Palestine has not yet been given the final list of prisoners who Israel plans to release.
There are still crucial details which still need to be worked out between all parties, but with the 'first steps' agreed upon, it could mark a turning point for the region.
Topics: Donald Trump, Israel, US News, Politics, World News, Palestine
Joshua Nair