Cairo | Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their devastating two-year war and the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners — a breakthrough greeted with joy and relief Thursday but also caution.
Uncertainty remains about aspects of the broader peace plan advanced by the administration of US President Donald Trump — such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza.
But the sides appear closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, reduced much of Gaza to rubble, brought famine to parts of the territory, and left dozens of hostages, living and dead, in Gaza.
The war, which began with Hamas' deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.
Even with the agreement expected to be signed later in the day, Israeli strikes continued, with explosions seen Thursday in northern Gaza. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
An Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines said that Israel was continuing to hit targets that posed a threat to its troops as they reposition.
In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, celebrations were relatively muted and often coloured by grief.
“I am happy and unhappy. We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends and family. We lost our homes," said Mohammad Al-Farra. "Despite our happiness, we cannot help but think of what is to come. ... The areas we are going back to, or intending to return to, are uninhabitable.”
In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages popped champagne and cried tears of joy after Trump announced a deal late Wednesday.
In Jerusalem on Thursday, Sharon Canot celebrated with some others.
“We are so excited this morning, we cried all morning," she said. “It's been two years that we are in horror.”
Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all 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. Some 20 of the 48 hostages still in captivity are believed to be alive.
In a short video posted by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump was seen speaking by phone to a group of elated hostage families.
“The hostages will come back,” said Trump, who is expected in the region in the coming days. “They are all coming back on Monday.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to convene his Security Cabinet late Thursday to approve the ceasefire, and the entire parliament will then meet to approve the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has opposed previous ceasefire deals, said he had “mixed emotions.”
While he welcomed the return of the hostages, he said he had “immense fear about the consequences of emptying the jails and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders” and called for Israel to continue trying to eradicate Hamas and ensure Gaza is demilitarised once the hostages are released.
Hamas, meanwhile, called on Trump and the mediators to ensure that Israel implements “without disavowal or delay” the troop withdrawal, the entry of aid into Gaza and the exchange of prisoners.
How the deal will unfold
The deal being submitted to Israel's parliament and then expected to be signed in Egypt will include a list of prisoners to be released and maps for the first phase of an Israeli withdrawal to new positions in Gaza, according to two Egyptian officials briefed on the talks, a Hamas official and another official.
Israel will publish the list of the prisoners — and victims of their attacks have 24 hours to lodge objections.
The withdrawal could start as soon as Thursday evening, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to be publicly named speaking about the negotiations.
As Trump indicated, the hostage and prisoner releases are expected to begin Monday, the officials from Egypt and Hamas said, though the other official said they could occur as early as Sunday night.
Five border crossings would reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, allowing 400 trucks in the initial days and increasing to 600 trucks after that, the Egyptian and Hamas officials said.
The Trump peace plan calls for Israel to 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 US would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort.
The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform programme that could take years.
The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects.
Some 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas-led assault that triggered the war, and 251 were taken hostage.
In Israel's ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded during the war, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children.
The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
Relief at a deal
Even with many details yet to be agreed, many expressed relief at the progress.
Beginning Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday, joyful relatives of hostages and their supporters spilled into Tel Aviv's central square, which has become the main gathering point in the effort to free the captives. Many sang and danced as they waved Israeli and American flags.
Einav Zangauker, the mother of Israeli captive Matan Zangauker, told reporters that she wants to tell her son she loves him.
“If I have one dream, it is seeing Matan sleep in his own bed,” she said.
From the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, Alaa Abd Rabbo called the announcement “a godsend.”
“This is the day we have been waiting for,” said Abd Rabbo, who was originally from northern Gaza but was forced to move multiple times during the war. “We want to go home.”
This would be the third ceasefire since the start of the war. The previous two also saw hostages and prisoners exchanged. Israel ended the most recent ceasefire, which started in January, with a surprise bombardment in March.
Ayman Saber, a Palestinian from Khan Younis, said he plans to return to his home city and try to rebuild his house, which was destroyed last year by an Israeli strike.
“I will rebuild the house, we will rebuild Gaza,” he said.
New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated US President Donald Trump on the "success" of the first phase of a US-brokered peace plan for Gaza as he hailed the American leader for his efforts to end hostilities.
Modi said this during a phone conversation with Trump amid continuing strain in ties between India and the US over Washington slapping a whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including 25 per cent levies for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.
In a post on X, Modi said he and Trump also reviewed the "good progress" achieved in the trade negotiations.
"Spoke to my friend, President Trump and congratulated him on the success of the historic Gaza peace plan," Modi said on social media.
"Also reviewed the good progress achieved in trade negotiations. Agreed to stay in close touch over the coming weeks," he said.
It was the second phone call between Modi and Trump in the last over three weeks.
The US president had called up Modi on September 16 and greeted him ahead of his 75th birthday.
Earlier in the day, Modi lauded the efforts of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end hostilities in Gaza.
"We welcome the agreement on the first phase of President Trump's peace plan. This is also a reflection of the strong leadership of PM Netanyahu," Modi said.
"We hope the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring respite to them and pave the way for lasting peace," he said.
The US announced that Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of the Gaza peace plan that includes a ceasefire in the Strip and the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners.
Under the Gaza peace plan, the hostilities in the Strip will be ended with the release of all the hostages held by Hamas and the demilitarisation of the Strip.
Israel launched the war in Gaza after Hamas attacked Israeli cities on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people. Hamas also took 251 people as hostages, and over 50 of them are still in its captivity.
Israeli military operations have killed over 66,000 Palestinians since then, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
Gaza has been reeling under a massive humanitarian crisis largely due to the scarcity of food and medicines.
The World Health Organization said last month that Gaza's malnutrition rates have reached "alarming levels".
The situation in Gaza also figured in Modi's talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Mumbai on Thursday.
"On the issues of the Ukraine conflict and Gaza, India supports all efforts to restore peace through dialogue and diplomacy," Modi said in his media statement.
Under the plan, Gaza will be a "deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours" and that it will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of the Strip.
PM Starmer said the forward movement on the peace plan will bring profound relief, especially for families of hostages taken by Hamas and the civilian population of Gaza.
