Jerusalem/Cairo: Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have reached a landmark agreement to end hostilities and exchange hostages for prisoners, brokered with US mediation.
The deal marks the most significant step yet toward ending the two-year war in Gaza that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and destabilised the Middle East.
The accord, signed on Thursday, stipulates a cessation of fighting, partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of all remaining Israeli hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. The truce, which awaits formal ratification by Israel’s government, is expected to come into effect within 24 hours.
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan… BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/lAUxi1UPYh
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 8, 2025
At the White House, President Trump remarked on the agreement as a “historic step toward lasting peace,” saying it demonstrated “the triumph of diplomacy over destruction.”
The announcement sparked jubilation in both Israel and Gaza. In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, residents poured into the streets celebrating the end of the bombardment. In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, where families of captives have gathered for months, emotional scenes unfolded as news broke that their loved ones would soon be freed.
An Israeli government spokesperson said the truce will take effect within 24 hours of approval, after which all surviving hostages are expected to be released within 72 hours. Of the 48 hostages still in Gaza, 20 are believed alive, 26 are presumed dead, and the fate of two remains unclear. Hamas has indicated that retrieving the bodies of those killed may take longer than freeing survivors.
With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home. 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…
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 8, 2025
Meanwhile, Gaza’s health ministry reported that Israeli strikes continued at a reduced intensity ahead of the ceasefire’s official start, killing three people on Thursday.
Hamas’ exiled Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya said he had received assurances from the US and regional mediators that the war is over. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the deal “a diplomatic success and a moral victory,” though members of his far-right coalition, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have threatened to oppose or even collapse the government over the agreement.
Much uncertainty remains over the next steps in Trump’s 20-point peace plan, including how Gaza will be governed postwar and the future of Hamas, which has so far refused to disarm. Western and Arab nations were meeting in Paris on Thursday to discuss an international peacekeeping mission and reconstruction assistance for Gaza once the truce takes hold.
