Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on the first stage of a peace initiative aimed at halting hostilities in Gaza, a development that has sparked hope for a lasting resolution to the brutal two-year conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, destabilized the Middle East, and ignited protests worldwide.
United States President, Donald Trump, announced the breakthrough on his Truth Social platform, declaring that all remaining hostages in Gaza would soon be released and that Israeli forces would withdraw to a designated line as part of what he called a “Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.”
Confirming the deal, Hamas stated on Thursday that it had accepted Trump’s proposal, which includes an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a hostage-prisoner exchange.
The announcement triggered jubilation among both Palestinians and Israelis, though memories of two previous failed ceasefire deals served as a sobering reminder of how fragile peace can be. Sources revealed that the 20 surviving hostages could be released as soon as this weekend, while up to 1,700 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be freed within 72 hours of the signing, anticipated to take place Thursday.
Hamas urged Trump and the guarantor nations to ensure Israel fully honors the ceasefire terms.
In an interview later on Wednesday, Trump said he expected the hostages would be “coming back” by Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the agreement as “a great day for Israel.”
“This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel … From the beginning, I made it clear: we will not rest until all our hostages return and all our goals are achieved,” he said.
Israel’s security cabinet is scheduled to meet Thursday to ratify the release of Palestinian prisoners. Despite objections from far-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition, the measure is unlikely to be blocked.
In Tel Aviv, the news was met with celebrations. Families of hostages and their supporters gathered in the early hours, chanting “Nobel prize to Trump.” Some popped bottles of champagne while others wept and embraced previously freed hostages as the crowd grew in size and emotion.
Across Gaza, the mood was one of elation mixed with disbelief.
“Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing,” said Abdul Majeed abd Rabbo from Khan Younis.
“I am not the only one happy, all of the Gaza Strip is happy, all the Arab people, all of the world is happy with the ceasefire and the end of bloodshed.”
Trump described the deal as a “great day” for all involved, “for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel and all surrounding nations, as well as the US.”
“We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” he posted.
Netanyahu and Trump spoke by phone following the announcement, congratulating one another on the agreement. According to Netanyahu’s office, the Israeli leader also invited Trump to address the Knesset.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised the agreement, urging all parties to “abide fully” by its terms.
From India, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it a moment of “profound relief.”
“I am grateful for the tireless diplomatic efforts of Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and the United States, supported by our regional partners, in securing this crucial first step,” he said.
“This agreement must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
For Trump, the deal represents his most significant foreign policy achievement since taking office in January. Having promised swift resolutions to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, he faced considerable challenges that tested those assurances.
The agreement followed three days of intensive indirect negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, with senior envoys from the U.S., Qatar, and Turkey joining the talks. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff were also part of the delegation.
Hints that the deal was imminent surfaced earlier on Wednesday, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio passed Trump a handwritten note during a White House meeting that read “very close,” urging him to post the announcement on Truth Social first.
Though the full details of the 21-point plan remain unclear, the first phase reportedly focuses on halting violence, releasing hostages, and easing humanitarian access. The more difficult question, including Hamas’ disarmament and Gaza’s future governance — remain unresolved.
If implemented successfully, this accord could bring the two sides closer to peace than any prior attempt during the war, which has drawn in regional actors such as Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon, and reshaped the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.
Following the announcement, Trump told Fox News that the United States would help rebuild Gaza.
“We’ll be involved in helping them make it successful, and helping it stay peaceful,” he said, adding that he was “very confident there’ll be peace in the Middle East.”
The scale of destruction in Gaza underscores the challenge ahead. More than 67,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed, and over 170,000 wounded. Around 20,000 children are among the dead, and vast swaths of the enclave lie in ruins. Thousands more remain missing beneath the rubble.
The conflict began with Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken — the deadliest assault in Israel’s history. Hundreds of Israeli soldiers have also perished in the ensuing campaign.
Although Israel had recently scaled back its offensive at Trump’s urging, airstrikes continued to claim lives. Gaza’s health ministry reported eight deaths in the past 24 hours — the lowest daily toll in weeks, compared to much higher figures earlier in the month.
Even with increased aid flows under Trump’s plan, hundreds of thousands in Gaza remain without adequate food or shelter.
The war’s ripple effects across the region, from Lebanon to Yemen and Iran, have placed immense pressure on Arab leaders. Now, attention turns to who will contribute to the proposed stabilization force in Gaza and fund its reconstruction, a process that could take decades.
