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israel And Hamas took one Historic first step towards peace signed an agreement on Thursday ceasefireHostage exchange and Israel’s partial withdrawal from Gaza.
Donald Trump said he expected to visit the Middle East in the coming days and release hostages as early as next week, as he hopes to end violence in the region after two unprecedented and bloody years.
The ceasefire specifically secures the agreement only. The “first phase” of a more comprehensive peace agreement.And major knots – including agreeing on a two-state solution – remain to be resolved.
As part of the deal, expected to be approved by Benjamin Netanyahu’s ministers late Thursday, Israel will halt its operations and partially withdraw troops. From GazaLeaving room for Hamas to begin the process of releasing the remaining hostages, and in turn, for Israel to release Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Trucks carrying food and aid will also be allowed into Gaza to provide relief to civilians, thousands of whom are sheltering in tents after Israeli forces destroyed much of the enclave.
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A source familiar with the conversation gave this information Independent Hamas will begin releasing by Sunday the 20 hostages believed to still be alive and five aid crossings will be opened to deliver desperately needed supplies. Discussions on the second phase of the agreement are expected to begin the next day.
President Trump said on Thursday that “all remaining hostages” should be released “on Monday or Tuesday”, which he described as a “complicated process” that would be a “happy day”.
Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the ceasefire, calling it “a moment of profound relief that will be felt across the world”. He said he was grateful for the “tireless diplomatic efforts” of Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and the United States, supported by regional partners.
Although delicate, the news of the success caused jubilation in Gaza and Israel.
Gaza resident Khaled Shatt said, “These are moments that are considered historic, long-awaited by Palestinian citizens.” “The joy we saw on the street a moment ago is a relief from carnage, killing and carnage.”
Senior Hamas official Ezzat al-Rishek said the ceasefire was “the fruit of the tremendous sacrifice and great patience of our people”.
In Tel Aviv, people gathered at Hostages’ Square, symbolizing the ordeal of those now held in Gaza.
Omri Lifshitz, the 51-year-old son of Oded, a peace activist who was captured and died in captivity on October 7, said: “We are very happy that the war is over. We don’t want any more soldiers to die – we don’t want any more civilians to die in Gaza. We hope for a better future for all of us. For us, for the Palestinians and for the Middle East. We think right now this is the end of the war.”
Tal Kuperstein, father of hostage Bar Kuperstein, who arrived in Israel after hearing news of his son’s release, said: “Until it happens, it hasn’t happened. We’ll wait and see.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was “a great day for Israel”, thanking the troops and President Trump for “their mobilization for this sacred mission of releasing our hostages”.
Hamas described the plan as “responsible and serious”.
The war began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas crossed into Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back into Gaza.
Israel’s subsequent campaign has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, according to local health officials. united nations informed At least 1.9 million people have been displaced in Gaza, often multiple times, and famine has emerged. The UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide.
pressed by IndependentAn Israeli government spokesman declined to say how and when the aid would be delivered, and whether the United Nations and humanitarian agencies would be able to resume their full work to alleviate starvation in the Strip.
World Health Organization told Independent It is calling for unhindered access across Gaza and the unhindered entry of supplies “from all routes”.
Mr Trump said their agreement would ensure that “all hostages will be released soon” and take the first steps towards a “strong, durable and lasting peace”.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who in the past has called for the complete “destruction” of Gaza, said his far-right Religious Zionism party would not support the deal.
Preparations were going on without any care. The IDF said it had begun “operational preparations”, including “soon adjusting changes to deployment lines”. A government spokesman said that after the release of all the hostages, the army will capture about 53 percent of Gaza.
Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Al-Arabi TV that Israel would withdraw from all populated areas of Gaza on Friday, as the release of the hostages would require arrangements on the ground.
Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Mark Wallace told Independent The deal could be “transformational.”
“The return of the hostages and an end to the violence is very important. The challenges ahead are certainly Kuwait’s largest reconstruction effort since, if not World War II. And, of course, what does governance look like that is sustainable and peaceful?”
There was no guarantee that peace efforts would materialize. Sources told Al-Arabi that discussions on the second phase of the agreement were to begin a day after the hostages were released. But there was still a possibility that the first phase could be reversed.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Israel “has begun to manipulate the dates, lists and some procedures and steps agreed in the ceasefire agreement”. He said they were in contact with mediators to force Israel to “follow what was agreed upon.”
Qassim told Al Jazeera that if conditions on the ground permit, the surviving hostages in Gaza could be released along with the dead, although Israeli sources told CNN that Israel’s assessment is that Hamas may not be able to find and bring back all 28 people killed.
A Palestinian source told the BBC that under the current situation, about 250 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons since the start of the war and 1,700 Palestinians detained by Israeli forces in Gaza will be released.