TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed deep gratitude to US President Donald Trump following the announcement of a breakthrough agreement with Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza, marking what he described as a "great day for Israel".
In a statement on X, Netanyahu said, "A great day for Israel. Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home. I thank the heroic soldiers of the IDF and all the security forces, thanks to whose courage and sacrifice we have reached this day."
The announcement followed a statement by Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social, where he said he was "proud to announce" that Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas had reached an agreement on the "first phase" of a plan to halt the fighting in Gaza and facilitate the release of hostages and prisoners.