New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Thursday had a telephonic conversation. The two leaders discussed the Gaza peace plan and also spoke about the trade deal.
PM Modi took to X to share the development. "Spoke to my friend, President Trump and congratulated him on the success of the historic Gaza peace plan. Also reviewed the good progress achieved in trade negotiations. Agreed to stay in close touch over the coming weeks."
Earlier in the day, Israel confirmed that all parties have signed the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. The pact in Egypt follows a 20-point peace plan for Gaza announced last month by the US President, after more than two years of war started after Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel.
President Trump will reportedly visit Jerusalem on Sunday. He has not ruled out going to Egypt and even Gaza.
"The final draft of phase one was signed this morning in Egypt by all parties to release all the hostages," an Israeli government spokesperson said speaking to reporters.
"Now phase one stands very clear: all of our hostages, the living and the deceased, will be released 72 hours later, which will bring us to Monday," she added.
According to the Gaza peace plan, the Israeli military will withdraw from Gaza and release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and Hamas will release all the hostages.
In the first phase of the Gaza peace plan, hostage release and withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces to a pre-determined line will take place. The Israeli army also said it was preparing to withdraw troops in Gaza, in line with the agreement.
All alive Israeli hostages, around 20 individuals, will be released by Hamas. The process is expected to start on Monday. Around 48 Israeli hostages are still held captive in Gaza.
Of the 251 hostages who were taken into Gaza by Hamas two years ago, 148 were either released as part of previous ceasefire agreements or rescued by Israeli forces, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The bodies of another 57 hostages were returned or recovered, according to India Today.
