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A CEASEFIRE deal between Hamas and Israel has been reached, paving the way for the release of hostages held in Gaza and the beginning of a phased Israeli military withdrawal, following one of the most devastating conflicts in the region’s history.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who played a central role in brokering the agreement, described the development as “a great day for the world” during a brief phone interview with Reuters on Wednesday.
“The whole world has come together on this one — Israel, every country has come together. This has been a fantastic day,” he said, calling the agreement “a wonderful day for everybody.”
The agreement was finalised in Cairo with backing from the United States and regional partners. According to a senior White House official, the Israeli cabinet is expected to approve the deal on Thursday. Once ratified, Israel will withdraw its forces to a predetermined line within 24 hours. A 72-hour window for the release of hostages will then commence, with some possibly freed earlier.
A total of 48 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza, including 20 thought to be alive. Hamas is expected to begin releasing captives by Monday, though an Israeli government spokesperson later suggested the process may begin as early as Saturday.
The Hostages Families Forum, which represents relatives of those abducted during Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israeli communities, responded to the deal with guarded optimism.
“The Hostages Families Forum welcomes the signing of this agreement, designed to bring all the hostages home — the living for rehabilitation with their families, and the deceased for proper burial in their homeland,” the group said in a statement.
“This represents important and meaningful progress... but our struggle is not over and will not end until the last hostage returns,” it added, thanking Trump and his team for their “leadership and determination.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also hailed the development. His office confirmed that he and Trump shared an “emotional and warm” phone call to congratulate one another on what was described as a “historic achievement.”
“The Prime Minister thanked President Trump for all his efforts and for his global leadership, and President Trump congratulated the Prime Minister for his determined leadership,” the statement said, adding that Trump had been invited to address the Israeli Knesset.
The war, sparked by the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages taken, has left Gaza in ruins. Israel’s military response, which began in late October 2023, has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authorities — nearly a third of them children. The United Nations recently assessed that only 18 percent of Gaza remains outside of displacement or militarised zones.
A UN commission of inquiry last month found that Israel had committed acts amounting to genocide in Gaza, citing the unprecedented civilian death toll. Israel rejected the findings as biased and “scandalous”.
In addition to the mounting death toll, humanitarian conditions in Gaza have deteriorated sharply. A UN-backed global hunger monitor reported famine in Gaza City in August, a claim Netanyahu dismissed as “an outright lie”. However, Gaza’s Ministry of Health says at least 177 people, including 36 children, have died of starvation and malnutrition since then.
The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation welcomed the ceasefire deal, saying: “Today’s announcement by President Trump of a long-awaited Gaza peace deal is welcome news. We thank all those who worked tirelessly to make it a reality.”
“Since May 27, our team has served the people of Gaza each day, delivering lifesaving food and aid. We are hopeful that this will create conditions on the ground that enable the needs of all Gazans to be met,” the organisation said, pledging continued support.
While the agreement marks a diplomatic breakthrough after more than a year of relentless conflict, observers have cautioned that the path to lasting peace remains uncertain, and implementation of the deal will be closely scrutinised by both sides and the international community. - October 9, 2025