Israel, Hamas Sign Ceasefire And Hostage Deal To End Two-Year Gaza War
Israel, Hamas Sign Ceasefire And Hostage Deal To End Two-Year Gaza War
Officials from both sides confirmed on Thursday that the deal was concluded after indirect negotiations in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, according to Reuters.
Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have signed what could be described as a landmark ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement, marking the first major breakthrough in U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza that has devastated the region and claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Officials from both sides confirmed on Thursday that the deal was concluded after indirect negotiations in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, according to Reuters.
The accord represents the most significant step yet toward ending the war that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and left Gaza in ruins.
Under the terms of the deal, fighting will cease, Israel will partially withdraw its forces from Gaza, and Hamas will release all remaining Israeli hostages captured during the October 7, 2023, attacks that triggered the conflict.
In return, Israel is expected to free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
President Trump hailed the deal as a “pathway to lasting peace,” describing it as the first phase of his broader 20-point plan for Middle East stabilization.
“Fleets of trucks carrying food and medical aid will now surge into Gaza to bring relief to civilians who have suffered unimaginable hardship,” Trump was quoted as saying at the White House.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet met Thursday evening to approve the deal, with reports indicating the ceasefire would take effect once the full government ratifies it.
“This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
News of the ceasefire sparked widespread celebration among Israelis and Palestinians alike.
In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Abdul Majeed Abd Rabbo expressed joy and relief, “Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing.
“I am not the only one happy, all of Gaza, all the Arab people, all the world is happy with the end of bloodshed.”
In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, where families have long gathered to demand the release of loved ones, emotional scenes unfolded as word spread of the deal.
Einav Zaugauker, whose son Matan is among the remaining hostages, wept with joy, “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t explain what I’m feeling… It’s crazy.”
An Israeli government spokesperson said the ceasefire would formally go into effect within 24 hours of cabinet approval.
Within 72 hours after the truce begins, all surviving hostages are expected to be freed.
Twenty Israeli hostages are believed to be alive in Gaza, while 26 are presumed dead, and the fate of two remains unknown.
Hamas indicated that recovering the bodies of deceased hostages may take longer than freeing those still alive.
Meanwhile, reports from Gaza on Thursday suggested a partial slowdown in Israeli strikes even before the ceasefire officially began.
The Gaza Health Ministry said three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire during the day, compared to daily tolls of dozens in previous weeks.
Eyewitnesses also reported signs of Israeli forces dismantling positions.
A resident near Nusseirat camp told Reuters he saw troops blowing up an abandoned military post and taking down surveillance equipment.
Near the Netzarim corridor, a key Israeli staging area, smoke grenades were fired, apparently to cover troop movements.
Despite the historic agreement, several sensitive issues remain unresolved.
A Palestinian source said the list of prisoners to be released by Israel had not yet been finalized, with Hamas seeking freedom for several high-profile detainees and hundreds arrested during Israel’s offensive.
Further stages of Trump’s peace plan are also yet to be negotiated, including the post-war governance of Gaza and the future of Hamas, which continues to reject Israel’s demands to disarm.
Western and Arab diplomats are scheduled to meet in Paris to discuss the establishment of an international peacekeeping mission and a reconstruction fund for Gaza once the ceasefire holds.
The deal has drawn widespread support from both Arab and Western governments.
Many world leaders have praised it as a major diplomatic achievement for President Trump, whose foreign policy has faced criticism over delays in resolving both the Gaza conflict and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Trump is expected to visit the region in the coming days.
The Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise assault on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages during attacks on towns and a music festival.
Israel’s massive military retaliation devastated Gaza, killing over 67,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities, and displacing hundreds of thousands.
Over the past two years, the war has drawn in regional actors including Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, heightening fears of a broader Middle East conflict and isolating Israel internationally.
