World Erupts As Israel And Hamas Seal ‘Historic First Phase’ Of Gaza Deal; Here’s What The Agreement Holds | World News

Cairo (Egypt): The world is watching what many call “a turning point in history.” The announcement came directly from Donald Trump, who announced that Israel and Hamas had signed the first phase of the long-awaited Gaza peace plan. The agreement promises a cessation of hostilities, the release of prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli troops to a previously agreed line.

The agreement to be signed on Thursday includes the release of Israeli and Palestinian detainees as well as increased aid to Gaza, which is under siege after more than two years of bloodshed.

In his statement after the talks on the 20-item peace plan in Egypt resulted in an agreement, US President Donald Trump said that the Palestinian resistance group Hamas will release all captives and that Israel will withdraw its soldiers to the agreed line.

Hamas expected to exchange 20 living captives for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

According to Trump’s 20-point plan, Israel will release the remains of 15 Palestinians who died in Gaza in exchange for every Israeli prisoner whose remains are released.

Hamas will exchange 20 living captives for approximately 2,000 Palestinian captives as part of the first phase of the agreement, a source from the resistance group told AFP news agency.

A source close to the negotiations said the change would happen within 72 hours of the deal being implemented.

The source added that the captives would be released in exchange for 250 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment and 1,700 Palestinians, including children and women, kidnapped by Israel since the start of the genocide.

According to Trump’s plan, Israel will release the remains of 15 Palestinians who died in Gaza in exchange for every Israeli prisoner whose remains are released.

In the statement of the Palestinian resistance group on Telegram, it was stated that they “submitted the lists of Palestinian prisoners to Israel”, adhering to the criteria of the ceasefire agreement.

The Israeli government will meet in a few hours to vote on the ceasefire agreement. After the voting is completed, the Israeli army will begin to retreat to one of the lines shown on the map President Trump shared on social media.

Hamas is expected to release the captives 72 hours from now. American officials stated that the exchange could be made on Monday.

President Trump has repeatedly emphasized Israel’s international isolation. He emphasized that the country is not only politically isolated, but also faces economic and cultural pressures in many areas from around the world.

This context may leave Netanyahu with little choice when presenting the deal to his government. The deal will likely have to be accepted regardless of domestic opposition.

Even if the right-wing coalition and Netanyahu’s partners threaten to back out of the terms, pressure from international and domestic factors could make approval inevitable.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army also warned the Palestinians in the north of Gaza. Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army’s Arabic spokesman, threatened Palestinians to avoid returning to the area north of the Gaza Valley, the valley separating central and northern Gaza.

He described the area as “still considered a dangerous war zone” and warned that Israeli forces “continue to surround Gaza City, where return is extremely dangerous.”

“For your safety, avoid returning to the north or approaching areas where Israeli forces are deployed and operating throughout the sector, including the south and east, until official instructions are issued.”

The ceasefire agreement emerged as a result of tense indirect negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, where Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye worked with the United States to draft the agreement. Within hours, capitals around the world began to react.

United States

President Donald Trump stole the spotlight by declaring the agreement “the beginning of peace after years of war.” He called it “a historic step for the people of the Middle East” and promised fair treatment for all. “The world is watching the beginning of something very special. This is a great day for the world,” Trump added in his enthusiastic message posted on Truth Social.

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have signed the first Phase of our Peace Plan… Blessed are the peacemakers!” -President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/lAUxi1UPYh— White House (@WhiteHouse) October 8, 2025

Hamas

Hamas made an official statement and announced that it had “reached an agreement to end the war in Gaza”.
The group confirmed that the agreement included “the withdrawal of occupation, the entry of humanitarian aid and the exchange of prisoners.”

The group said early Wednesday that it had handed over a list of its captives and Palestinian detainees whom Israel wanted to exchange.

The list of Palestinians whom Hamas wanted to see freed was expected to include some of the most prominent prisoners ever kidnapped and imprisoned by Israel, whose release was prohibited under previous ceasefires.

According to a Palestinian source close to the talks, the list also includes Marwan al-Barghouti, one of the leaders of the Fatah movement, and Ahmed Saadat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Both are serving multiple life sentences.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian militant group also welcomed efforts by the United States, as well as Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye, to end Israel’s killings in Gaza.

“We highly appreciate the efforts of our brothers and mediators in Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye, and we also value the efforts of US President Donald Trump to achieve a complete end to the war and complete withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said in a statement. he said.

He called on President Trump, the guarantor states and all parties involved to ensure Israel’s full compliance with its obligations under the agreement.

“We salute our great people in the Gaza Strip, in Jerusalem, in the West Bank, everywhere in our homeland and diaspora, who have demonstrated unparalleled honor, courage and heroism by opposing fascist occupation projects targeting them and their national rights. These sacrifices and determined stances have foiled the plans of subjugation and displacement of the Israeli occupation.

In the statement, “We confirm that the sacrifices of our people will not be in vain, that we will remain true to our word, and that we will never give up the national rights of our people until freedom, independence and the right to self-determination are achieved.” statements were included.

Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made several statements within hours of the announcement, crediting Israeli military actions for the deal’s success.

“We have reached this critical milestone thanks to dogged determination, strong military action, and the great efforts of our friend and ally, President Trump,” he said.

He thanked Trump for his “leadership, partnership, and unwavering commitment to the security of Israel and the freedom of our hostages.”

He called the agreement “a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.”

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.

I have made it clear from the beginning: We will not rest until all our hostages and all our targets are returned… — Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 8, 2025

Train

From Doha, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari confirmed that mediators had finalized “the conditions for the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire”.

“The agreement will lead to an end to the war, the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip,” he said.

He added that more details will be shared soon.

يعلن الوسطاء أنه تم الليلة الاتفاق على كل بنود وآليات تنفيذ The shortest If you need to make purchases and payments in the best possible time, do this as soon as possible. — د. Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) October 8, 2025

United Nations

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the development as an “important opportunity” for peace and a new path towards a two-state solution.

He praised “the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye” and urged all sides to “abide fully by the agreement”.

“All hostages must be released with dignity and a permanent ceasefire must be established,” Guterres said.

He also called for the “immediate entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza” and added that the United Nations was ready to support the implementation of the agreement.

I welcome the announcement of an agreement that will guarantee a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. @POTUS. I appreciate the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye to broker this desperately needed breakthrough.

I encourage everyone… — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 9, 2025

Gaza Celebrates

Joy spread to the streets all over Gaza. Videos of men, women and children waving flags, lighting fireworks and shouting with relief flooded social media.

Victory slogans echoed in Gaza City and Khan Younis long after dusk. Voices rose as citizens gathered in Al Mawasi on the south coast ahead of the official announcement, chanting “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the greatest). There were gunshots, laughter and tears during the celebration.

After nearly two years of destruction, the people of Gaza dared to hope again. For many, this was not just the signing of an agreement, it felt like the first heartbeat of peace.