President Donald Trump has said that hostages should be released Monday or Tuesday at a cabinet meeting held in the White House on Thursday.
The President added that getting the hostages would be a complicated process because "they are in places you don't want to be".
Addressing the gathering, Trump also said "I think it's going to be a lasting peace, hopefully an everlasting peace,".
Trump said under the plan Gaza is going to be "slowly redone," a reference to plans to rebuild the Palestinian enclave. He did not provide details.
Hamas is expected to release the 20 living hostages together, whilst Israel will free around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees 72 hours after the ceasefire begins.
"We are getting the hostages back on Tuesday, Monday or Tuesday, and that'll be a day of joy," Trump.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal brokered by President Trump, announced late on Wednesday.
The announcement has been met with rejoicing and celeberations across various quarters in the region with one Gaza resident saying "it was like being born again" when he heard the announcement.
Israel's Cabinet is expected to vote on Thursday to approve the US- brokered ceasefire plan.
The agreement lacks detail on Hamas disarmament, long-term Gaza governance, and mechanisms ensuring a permanent ceasefire. Both sides have called on mediators to ensure compliance, with Hamas urging the international community to pressure Israel to uphold terms.
At the meeting which was also attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War, Trump also touched on Iran.
"Iran wants to work on peace now, they have informed us. And they have acknowledged that they are totally in favour of this deal, they think it's a great thing," he says, adding they will work with Iran.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier in the week denied that talks with Washington would resume.
Araghchi, citing a report by Kuwaiti publication Al - Jarida said “It is incorrect. We deny it. There has been no contact,”.
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit two Yandex data centres in Russia on consecutive days, disrupting digital services as Kyiv intensifies attacks on ...
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating ...
Uzbekistan has unveiled plans to deepen economic ties with Central Asia and Azerbaijan, proposing shared artificial intelligence infrastructure, a ...
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
The Saudi-led coalition says it has carried out a series of military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen after attacks on two Saudi airports left three people dead and dozens injured.
Azerbaijan and the five Central Asian states have signed two key documents at the 8th Consultative Meeting of Heads of State in Turkmenbashi, formalising a broader framework for regional cooperation in transport, trade, energy, digitalisation and security.
It started with classrooms. Too many students, not enough teachers, deteriorating buildings and growing anxiety over what comes after high school. But within weeks, a movement that began outside French lycées had spread across the country.
Britain and Israel have reached a temporary compromise over the future of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, easing a diplomatic dispute that had threatened to further strain relations between the two countries.
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit two Yandex data centres in Russia on consecutive days, disrupting digital services as Kyiv intensifies attacks on Russia's digital infrastructure.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating tensions with European allies and potentially targeting companies that provide services to the tribunal. The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Azerbaijan has made history at the 2026 World Judo Championships in Baku, claiming a record five medals and climbing to second place in the standings behind Japan as more than 620 athletes from over 90 countries compete in the Azerbaijani capital.
Student protests are gaining momentum across France over worsening school conditions, as online calls for nationwide demonstrations on 17 October raise the prospect of wider unrest.
Riot police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters in Brussels on Friday, 9 October, as students joined workers in a nationwide strike against government austerity measures and spending cuts.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment