Israel and Hamas have agreed to the initial phase of a ceasefire plan in Gaza, bringing the best hope yet of a definitive end to a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and destabilised the Middle East. Donald Trump announced the agreement on his Truth Social network, saying all hostages in Gaza would be released soon and Israel would withdraw troops to an agreed line as a first step towards peace.
Hamas confirmed it had agreed to the proposal, which includes an Israeli withdrawal from the territory and a hostage-prisoner exchange. The Israeli government said all parties had signed the final draft of “phase one” in Egypt. The ceasefire will take effect once ratified by the Israeli government, which is expected to convene later on Thursday.
Under the deal, the 20 hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza will be freed within 72 hours of the ceasefire coming into force. In exchange, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, but not Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah figure. Israeli forces will withdraw to a line leaving them in control of 53% of the Gaza Strip.
Celebrations broke out among Palestinians in Gaza and Israelis in Tel Aviv, where families of hostages chanted “Nobel prize to Trump”. However, two previous ceasefire attempts have failed, and Hamas called on Trump and guarantor states to ensure Israel fully implements the deal. The UN chief and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the agreement, urging full implementation and unrestricted humanitarian aid.
