Photo: Garrett Mogel ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
GAZA, Oct. 9, 2025 ~ On Thursday, Israel and Hamas agreed to the terms for the first phase of a ceasefire plan that hopes to end two years of carnage and destruction in the Gaza Strip.
President Donald Trump made the announcement on Truth Social regarding the U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan, saying, “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. ALL the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel withdraw their troops to an agreed upon line.“
The first phase of the plan includes Hamas releasing the rest of the Israelis they are holding as prisoners in exchange for numerous Palestinians in Israeli prisons. Also, the IDF will withdraw its troops to an agreed-upon line in the besieged Gaza Strip. The Israeli Security Cabinet will meet on Thursday to approve the agreement.
PODCAST:
(CONTINUED) Israel’s military campaign began nearly two years ago following Hamas’ military attacks on Oct. 7, 2023 that killed 1,139 people and saw the capture of about 200 hostages, a majority of whom have died or been released. Since then, Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza and has killed at least 67,000 people, a majority of them women and children, with more people expected to be dead and buried under the rubble.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has garnered Israel global scrutiny, with the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory recently concluding that Israel has committed genocide against the people of Gaza. Israel has maintained that its military operations in the territory are in self-defense and that its military is just targeting the members of Hamas.
760 WJR TOP NEWS STORIES:
