(VOVWORLD) - Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on the first phase of a peace plan for Gaza, US President Donald Trump said Wednesday.
 A building collapses after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. (Photo: VNA/Xinhua) |
Under the deal, all of the hostages will be released "very soon" and Israel will withdraw its troops to an agreed upon line, the "first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace", according to Trump.
"All parties will be treated fairly," Trump said, calling it "a great day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America." He thanked mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for their efforts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government will soon bring all the hostages home.
According to al-Mayadeen, a newspaper affiliated with the Hezbollah militant group, the deal will be signed in Egypt on Thursday once Hamas formally accepts it.
Earlier, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said he has invited President Trump to attend the signing in Cairo, should negotiations conclude successfully.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to attend a meeting on Thursday in Paris with European, Arab, and other states to discuss a post-conflict transition of power in Gaza.