Israel and Hamas agreed to pause fighting in Gaza to free the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, accepting elements of a plan put forward by the Trump administration that Palestinians greeted reluctantly on Thursday 9 October as a possible breakthrough toward ending the devastating two-year-old war. Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all 20 living hostages in a matter of days, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an agreement that has not fully been made public.
“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” President Donald Trump wrote on social media late Wednesday. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”
Talks to hammer out a deal have been underway in Egypt since the start of the week, and the breakthrough emerged at the end of the third day of negotiations. “With God’s help we will bring them all home,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed on social media shortly after Trump’s announcement. Netanyahu said he would convene the government on Thursday to approve the deal.
Alaa Abd Rabbo, originally from northern Gaza but forced by the fighting to move multiple times, called the deal “a godsend”, according to Associated Press. “We are tired, we have been displaced and this is the day we have been waiting for,” he said from the central city of Deir al-Balah. “We want to go home.” In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages celebrated and cried tears of joy when the deal was announced.
Uncertainty remains about some of the thornier aspects, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm, and who will govern Gaza, but the sides appear closer than they have been in several months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, destroyed most of Gaza and triggered other armed conflicts across the Middle East. The war, which began with Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has sparked worldwide protests and brought allegations of genocide that Israel denies.
Hamas called on Trump and the mediators to ensure that Israel implements “without disavowal or delay” the withdrawal of troops, the entry of aid into the territory and the exchange of prisoners.
The Trump plan calls for an immediate ceasefire and release of the 48 hostages that militants in Gaza still hold from their attack on Israel two years ago. Some 1,200 people were killed by Hamas-led militants, and 251 were taken hostage. Around 20 of the hostages are believed to still be alive. In an interview on Fox News, Trump said Hamas will begin releasing hostages “probably” on Monday. “This is more than Gaza,” he said. “This is peace in the Middle East.”
Under the plan, Israel would maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The U.S. would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort in Gaza.
The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority, something Netanyahu opposes. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years to implement.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, took part in the Wednesday talks in Egypt, which were also attended by Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Netanyahu’s top adviser, Ron Dermer.
Trump had expressed optimism earlier in the day by saying that he was considering a trip to the Middle East within a matter of days. This would be the third ceasefire reached since the start of the war.
The first, in November 2023, saw more than 100 hostages, mainly women and children, freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners before it broke down. In the second, in January and February of this year, Palestinian militants released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel ended that ceasefire in March with a surprise bombardment.
A growing number of experts, including those commissioned by a UN body have said that Israel’s offensive in Gaza amounts to genocide, an accusation Israel denies. More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
