Washington US President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first phase of a Gaza peace plan.

"This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace," Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Wednesday (local time).

He thanked mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey for the "historic and unprecedented event."

Speaking to reporters earlier in the day at the White House, Trump said he may travel to the Middle East "sometime toward the end of the week."

Israel and Hamas began indirect negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.

Meanwhile

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