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President Donald Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio handed him a note indicating the United States is “very close to a deal in the Middle East,” a revelation he made Wednesday at the White House during a roundtable on Antifa.
“Yeah, I was just given a note by the Secretary of State saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they’ll get to need me, pretty quickly,” Trump said.
Nearly two hours later, Trump posted on Truth Social that a deal had been struck.
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” he said. “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.”
TRUMP SAYS ‘REAL CHANCE FOR GREATNESS’ AS NETANYAHU WHITE HOUSE MEETING LOOMS FOR GAZA TALKS
Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispers to President Donald Trump, who is holding the note Rubio handed to him, during a roundtable meeting on Antifa in the State Dining Room at the White House, Wednesday, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“All Parties will be treated fairly!” Trump added. “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. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
Israeli TV Channel 12 reported the agreement will be signed at noon local time on Thursday, and the release of hostages and prisoners will take place Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also weighed in, saying, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.”
HAMAS ACCEPTS TRUMP PEACE PLAN ENDING 2 YEARS OF WAR IN GAZA, RETURNING HOSTAGES
President Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu outside the White House on Sept. 29, as the pair works to achieve peace in Gaza. (Annabelle Gordon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Trump said earlier Wednesday he might travel to the Middle East as Gaza peace negotiations continued. He said he might make the trip on Sunday, adding there is a “great team” of negotiators already there.
“It’s something I think that will happen,” Trump said. “Got a good chance of happening.”
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are in Egypt negotiating details of a potential peace agreement between Israel and Hamas in the war that began Oct. 7, 2023.
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is in Egypt negotiating details of a potential peace agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Getty Images)
Later Wednesday, Trump signaled that negotiations are going well.
“I was just dealing with people from the Middle East, our people and other people, on the potential peace deal for the Middle East,” he said. “Peace for the Middle East. That’s a beautiful phrase, and we hope it’s going to come true, but it’s very close and they’re doing very well.”
TRUMP’S PEACE DEAL COULD END THE WAR IN GAZA OR NETANYAHU’S CAREER
Trump unveiled a 20-point plan to end the Gaza war on Sept. 29, when Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House. The plan includes granting Hamas terrorists who give up their arms in favor of peace “amnesty,” establishing Gaza as a “deradicalized, terror-free zone,” and redeveloping the area so it no longer poses a threat to its neighbors and residents.
Trump warned Hamas that if it did not agree to the peace deal, the terrorists would face “massive bloodshed.”
Hamas announced Friday that it agreed to release all Israeli hostages, dead or alive, as part of Trump’s peace proposal.
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Israeli and Hamas officials met Monday in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El Sheikh at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Kushner — Trump’s son-in-law, credited with helping facilitate the Abraham Accords during his first administration — and Witkoff remain in Egypt to help negotiate an agreement.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
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