US President Donald Trump on Thursday (October 9) assured that no one in Gaza would be forced to leave the territory under his Middle East peace plan, following the signing of the first phase of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.
“Nobody’s going to be forced to leave. No, it’s just the opposite. This is a great plan. This is a great peace plan. This is a plan that was supported by everybody,” Trump said.
Middle East trip confirmed
Trump confirmed that he will travel to the Middle East “sometime Sunday” to participate in events related to the deal. He highlighted widespread celebrations following the agreement.
“Everybody I see is celebrating in Israel, but they’re celebrating in many other countries too. A lot of the Muslim and Arab countries, they’re celebrating,” he added.
Peace plan and Gaza reconstruction
When asked about the composition of an international peacekeeping force in Gaza and plans for reconstruction, Trump said that exact details remain to be determined. However, he reaffirmed that Palestinians would not be forced to leave the territory as it is rebuilt.
“It’s just the opposite. This is a great plan. This is a great peace plan. We’re not looking to do that at all,” he said.
Vision for Gaza
In previous months, Trump had envisioned transforming Gaza into what he called the “Riviera of the Middle East,” signaling a focus on reconstruction and development once the ceasefire is fully implemented.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal signed, hostages to be released
Israel announced on Thursday (October 9) that all parties have signed the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, following a 20-point peace plan unveiled last month by US President Donald Trump. “All of our hostages, the living and the deceased, will be released 72 hours later, which will bring us to Monday,” government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar added that the release of the hostages “should bring the end to this war.”
Trump to attend Middle East events
Trump said he planned to travel to the Middle East on Sunday, with stops in Israel and potentially Gaza. Egypt is organizing a celebratory event for the agreement.
Key provisions of phase one
The deal calls for an immediate ceasefire, partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of 47 remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has submitted a list requesting the release of 250 Palestinians serving long sentences and 1,700 others arrested since the war began. High-profile Fatah member Marwan Barghouti will not be part of the exchange.
Hurdles remain
Despite celebrations, key issues remain unresolved. Trump said Hamas disarmament and Israeli troop pullbacks would be addressed in the second phase.
Ongoing conflict and casualties
The ceasefire is to take effect within 24 hours of cabinet approval, though Gaza witnessed several strikes on Thursday evening. Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, Israeli retaliation has killed at least 67,194 Palestinians. The UN considers these figures credible, noting more than half were women and children.