Relief and celebration sweep Israel and Gaza as ceasefire and hostage deal announced

JERUSALEM/CAIRO — Joy and relief erupted across Israel and Gaza on Thursday after a ceasefire and hostage release deal was unveiled under the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the devastating war in Gaza.

Both sides publicly endorsed the agreement and were expected to sign it around noon in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh (0900 GMT), though there was no immediate confirmation that the signing had been completed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the ceasefire would take effect once approved by the Israeli government, which was set to convene following a security cabinet meeting scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Israel’s hostage coordinator, Gal Hirsch, noted that the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released was still being finalized.

Reports from Gaza indicated a series of air strikes in Gaza City around the expected signing time.

Under the deal, hostilities would cease, Israel would partially withdraw its forces from Gaza, and Hamas would release hostages taken during the attack that sparked the war, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. A source briefed on the agreement said Israeli troops were expected to begin withdrawing within 24 hours of the deal’s signing.

An Israeli official said that the release of the 20 Israeli hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza was anticipated by Sunday or Monday. Another 26 hostages have been declared dead in absentia, while the fate of two remains uncertain. Hamas reportedly indicated it may need time to recover bodies scattered across Gaza.

Scenes of celebration unfolded in both territories as news of the agreement spread.
In Gaza, where most of the 2 million residents have been displaced by months of bombardment, young men applauded in the rubble-strewn streets despite continuing air strikes.

“Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing,” said Abdul Majeed Abd Rabbo in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. “I am not the only one happy; all of the Gaza Strip is happy, all the Arab people, all of the world is happy with the ceasefire and the end of bloodshed.”

In Tel Aviv, Einav Zaugauker, whose son Matan is among the last remaining hostages, joined emotional celebrations in the so-called Hostages Square — a gathering point for families of those abducted during the Hamas assault two years ago.
“I can’t breathe, I can’t explain what I’m feeling … it’s crazy,” she said, illuminated by the red glow of a flare. “What do I say to him? What do I do? Hug and kiss him. Just tell him that I love him … It’s overwhelming this is the relief.”

Despite the breakthrough, residents reported that Israeli strikes on three Gaza City suburbs continued into Thursday morning. The Gaza Health Ministry said at least nine Palestinians were killed within the past 24 hours.

The deal was reached just one day after the second anniversary of Hamas’s cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 Israelis and led to Israel’s full-scale assault on Gaza a campaign that has since claimed more than 67,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza officials.

The Sharm el-Sheikh negotiations, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, produced the accord as the opening phase of a 20-point framework proposed by Trump. The U.S. president hailed it as a landmark diplomatic success and a first step toward Middle East reconciliation.

“All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America… BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” Trump wrote on social media.

Netanyahu described the agreement as “a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel,” though divisions persisted within his ruling coalition. Far-right ministers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, opposed the truce, saying Hamas must be destroyed after the hostages’ return.

The pact drew broad international praise from Arab and Western governments after several failed ceasefire attempts.

The next stage of Trump’s plan envisions an international body, led by Trump and involving former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, to help administer post-war Gaza. Arab states supporting the plan insist it must pave the way toward a Palestinian state, an idea Netanyahu rejects. Hamas, for its part, opposes any foreign governance over Gaza and rejects Blair’s involvement.

While the ceasefire offered a long-awaited respite, unresolved questions remain, particularly Gaza’s future governance and the political fate of Hamas. Still, for many Israelis and Palestinians, the announcement marked the first glimpse of hope after years of unrelenting bloodshed.