Hamas and Israel have agreed the first phase of Donald Trump’s Gaza plan. The deal represents a breakthrough on the path towards Mr Trump’s ambitious 20-point plan for peace in the Middle East.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a breakthrough deal to pause the war in Gaza and release the remaining hostages. But many questions remain unanswered.

U.S. President Donald Trump's last month proposed a 20-point plan for for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip ahead of this week's negotiations in Egypt.

Yet Wednesday's agreement reached in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, a favoured location for Middle East peace conferences over the decades with a patchy record of success, is only an initial phase covering handing over hostages held in Gaza,

Israel's ambassador Yechiel Leiter warns the Gaza war will continue unless Hamas returns all hostages and completely disarms under the new peace agreement.

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that both Israel and Hamas had "signed off" on the first phase of a peace plan in Gaza following negotiations in the Egyptian Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Israeli bombing has damaged or destroyed an estimated 80% of Gaza’s structures since the war started two years ago.

News of the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas was met with celebrations and joyous scenes in both Gaza and Israel, though residents on both sides of the devastating war expressed trepidation that a deal may still fall through.

Malcolm Ducke recounts the harassment he and fellow volunteers faced from Israeli forces while detained in Negev desert

The situation had not changed in any material way Thursday — food, water and medicine remained scarce and their cityscapes are ruined — but there were reasons for hope.

An Ohio University professor was aboard a boat with journalists and medical professionals attempting to deliver food and medicine to the besieged Gaza Strip as the ship was stopped by Israeli Defense Forces, according to an activist group.