President Trump says Israel agreed to initial withdrawal line for ceasefire as IDF moves to defensive activity

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday night that Israel had agreed to the initial withdrawal line in the Gaza Strip which he had proposed. 

President Trump also said that the withdrawal line had been shared with Hamas, and that if the terror group approves, the ceasefire and hostage release could begin immediately. 

“After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas,” President Trump wrote to Truth Social. 

President Trump also shared a post on Truth social in which he warned Hamas to agree to the deal. 

“I appreciate that Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing in order to give the Hostage release and Peace Deal a chance to be completed,” Trump wrote. “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off. I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again.” 

After Trump’s posts to social media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a video statement to the Israeli public in which he said he hoped the hostages could be released over the upcoming Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) holiday. 

“My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, we are on the verge of a very great achievement,” Netanyahu said. “It is not yet final; we are working on it diligently, and I hope, with G-d's help, that in the coming days, during the Sukkot holiday, I will be able to inform you about the return of all our hostages, both living and deceased, in one phase, while the IDF remains deep within the Strip and in the controlling areas within it.” 

The withdrawal line that Israel agreed to, would see the IDF remain in control of a little over 50% of the Gaza Strip. Previous hostage ceasefire deals, saw the IDF withdrawing more significantly from capture territory. However, this withdrawal would see the military pullback from all of its gains in Gaza City from the past few weeks. 

The prime minister already placed the IDF on a defensive posture in Gaza, in preparation for the ceasefire.

At the same time, public broadcaster Kan News reported that Israeli officials believe Hamas will seek several changes to the Trump plan. The terror group is believed to be unwilling to completely disarm, and will likely be resistant to releasing all the hostages at once. Izz al-Din Haddad, commander of Hamas' military wing in Gaza is said to be unwilling to hand over rifles, which he argues are defensive weapons, but is willing to turn over any remaining stores of rockets, mortars, and explosive devices.

Netanyahu claimed that Hamas' apparent willingness to accept the Trump deal is a result of intense military, and political pressure on the terror group. 

“As a result of the intense military pressure we applied and the diplomatic pressure, Hamas was pressured into agreeing to the plan we presented,” Netanyahu stated. 

“In the first stage, Hamas will release all of our hostages, and IDF forces will redeploy in a way that the IDF will continue to hold all of the controlling areas deep inside the Strip,” he continued. 

He also pushed back against claims that Hamas was ready to agree to an identical ceasefire deal one year ago. 

“I have heard that some people are saying today that Hamas was ready a year ago, or even two years ago, to release all our hostages without us fully withdrawing from the Strip. I tell you – that is simply a lie,” Netanyahu stated, rebuffing the claims. “What brought about the change in Hamas's position is solely the military and diplomatic pressure we have exerted.” 

In previous cease-fire negotiations, Hamas had demanded a full IDF withdrawal from Gaza in order to release the remaining hostages.

Netanyahu said that if Israel had agreed to those deals, “We would have left Gaza with almost no achievement.” 

He then reiterated his claims that continued military pressure on hummus was what led to the changing situation in the Middle East, including the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, the defeat of Hezbollah, and the collapse of “the Iranian axis of evil.” 

Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed that he coordinated “a diplomatic move that turned the situation on its head,” with U.S. President Donald Trump. “Instead of Israel being isolated, Hamas will be isolated,” he stated. 

Netanyahu said that he instructed the hostage negotiating team to go to Cairo, Egypt “to close the technical details of the release of our hostage.” 

He closed his statements by calling for unity and quoting from Isaiah 41: “As it is said in our sources, ‘A man will help his neighbor, and will say to his brother, Be strong!’” [Isaiah 41:6]