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.
Under the plan, which is expected to be approved by Israel's smaller Security Cabinet and then the full Cabinet late Thursday, Hamas will release all 20 living hostages in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.
Uncertainty remains about some of the thornier aspects of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed plan to pause fighting, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm, and who will govern Gaza.
At least 11 dead and 49 wounded Palestinians were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said Thursday.
Here's the latest:
Ex-hostages describe their excitement and trepidation ahead of final hostage release
Addressing reporters and jubilant crowds at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, several former hostages said they were “indescribably happy” at the prospect of the imminent release from Gaza of all remaining hostages — reminded of the moment they themselves were told they would be going home.
“I can’t stop thinking about what the hostages still there are going through,” said ex-hostage Amit Soussana, “Do they believe that this time they’re really coming home?”
Omer Shem Tov, who was released from Hamas captivity in the last ceasefire, said he “jumped up and down with joy” at the news of the deal, but added that “it isn’t over yet” and called on the Israeli public to “keep fighting for their release.”
Their statements were interrupted by cheering and clapping crowds, and chants of “bring them home now.’
UN waiting for ‘green light’ from Israeli officials to bring in aid from bordering countries
Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, said that in the last several months, humanitarian partners have only been able to deliver 20% of the aid needed to address the dire situation throughout the Gaza Strip. Officials have been in constant direct contact with Israeli officials in the last 12 hours to get the go-ahead to bring the aid already in the pipeline in the West Bank, Jordan Egypt and Cyprus.
But Fletcher warned that the 170,000 tons of aid is just the tip of the iceberg for what is needed in Gaza, calling on developed countries to scale up contributions to the effort.
“So every government, every state, every individual who has been watching this crisis unfold and wondering, ‘What can we do? If only there is something we can do,’ Now is the time to make that generosity count,” he said. “And I plead with the level of kindness and generosity that, frankly, the world owes right now.”
UN aid chief says 170,000 metric tons of aid is ready to go into Gaza
Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, told reporters Thursday that officials have 170,000 metric tons of medicine, aid and other supplies at ready for when they are given a green light.
“We are ready to roll,” Fletcher said, warning that there should be no “backsliding” from either side of the agreement. He outlined the plans for the first 60 days of the ceasefire, which would include an increase in the the pipeline of supplies to hundreds of trucks everyday.
“We will scale up the provision of food across Gaza to reach 2.1 million people who need food aid, and around 500,000 people who need nutrition,” he said.
Macron warns that Israeli settlements threaten peace amid Hamas-Israel war pause
French President Emmanuel Macron has cautioned that Israeli settlement in the West Bank could undermine the pause in the Hamas-Israel war.
He said the accelerating construction of Israeli settlements “represents an existential threat to the state of Palestine. Not only is it unacceptable and contrary to international law, it feeds tensions, violence, instability and in effect contradicts the American plan and our collective ambition for a region at peace.”
He also suggested that West Bank settlement cannot be justified by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, saying it “has nothing to do with Hamas and Oct. 7, 2023.” He spoke at the opening of a meeting of European and Middle East foreign ministers in Paris.
EU is prepared to back Gaza police and aid programs
The European Union has expressed readiness to support police and humanitarian aid programs in Gaza if the ceasefire holds, the top diplomat for the 27-nation bloc said Thursday.
“We need to plan for the day after,” Kaja Kallas said before a meeting in Paris of top diplomats from Europe and Middle East.
Kallas said an EU humanitarian aid team stands ready at the Rafah border crossing in Egypt, and that its assistance mission to the Palestinian Authority’s police could support a “stabilization force” in Gaza.
Trump says hostages will be released from Gaza on Monday or Tuesday
The president opened a meeting with his Cabinet at the White House on Thursday by speaking about the ceasefire deal and his plans to travel to the Middle East.
Trump said he will be going to Egypt for a signing ceremony. It was not clear if he would be traveling elsewhere on the trip.
He said it is a complicated process for the hostages to be released from Gaza, but it will be happening Monday or Tuesday. He said there will also be the remains of about 28 hostages to be brought back, but he didn’t offer details or timing on that.
Trump’s envoy and Kushner land in Israel ahead of Cabinet vote
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff as well as Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, landed in Israel Thursday night, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Their arrival comes as Israel’s Security Cabinet is set to vote on the first phase of Trump’s deal and ahead of the release of the hostages, which is expected within the next few days.
Germany calls for urgent aid to Gaza, praises US efforts
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Thursday emphasized the urgency of delivering food and medical aid to Gaza. He says Germany is ready to help, especially with medical supplies.
Wadephul stressed the need to focus on the people in Gaza once a ceasefire is in place and efforts to free hostages begin. He credited the U.S. administration and Trump for the progress,
He also said the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the goal, but many stages are needed. Wadephul called for the U.N. to play a decisive role.
Witkoff, Kushner met with Egypt's president
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi met with U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner in Cairo Thursday.
Witkoff and Kushner arrived from Sharm el Sheikh, where a ceasefire deal was brokered.
In a statement after the meeting, the president’s office welcomed the ceasefire agreement, adding that he is eager to celebrate the signing of the deal soon. The statement also said that ending the war is in the “wills of all countries.”
The president also reiterated his invitation to Trump to visit Egypt to “witness the signing of this historic agreement in a ceremony befitting the occasion.”
UN pledges full support to Gaza ceasefire agreement and is ready to move on aid
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the U.N. and its partners can move now to scale up the delivery of food, water, medical assistance and shelter supplies.
But the U.N. chief said “to turn this ceasefire into real progress, we need more than the silencing of the guns.”
Guterres called for safe access for humanitarian workers, the removal of red tape and other impediments, the rebuilding of Gaza’s shattered infrastructure and funding to meet the immense needs.
The secretary-general told U.N. reporters in New York that the “glimmer of relief” for Israelis and Palestinians must be seized to establish a political path toward ending Israel’s occupation and achieving a two-state solution.
Israel says it won’t free prominent Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti
Barghouti, the most popular and unifying Palestinian political figure, has spent more than two decades In Israeli detention and is widely seen as a potential successor to President Mahmoud Abbas, the current leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority.
On Thursday, an Israeli government spokeswoman said Israel does not intend to release Barghouti as part of the agreement reached with Hamas. “I can tell you at this point in time that he will not be part of this release,” Shosh Bedrosian said.
Barghouti was arrested in 2002 and later given five life sentences by an Israeli court over deadly attacks during the 2000 intifada, or Palestinian uprising.
Hamas leaders have in the past demanded that Israel release Barghouti, a leader of the militant group’s main political rival, Fatah, as part of any deal to end the fighting in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly refused.
Turkey may take part in task force overseeing ceasefire implementation
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey will “hopefully” take part in a task force “that will monitor the implementation of the (ceasefire) agreement on the ground.”
Erdogan did not provide further details Thursday.
He said getting humanitarian aid into Gaza urgently, ensuring the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and pressing Israel to stop its military actions and “retreat to the designated lines” are of utmost importance.
Turkey, which has close ties to Hamas, helped broker the agreement, along with the United States, Egypt and Qatar.
Thousands streaming into Tel Aviv square
Thousands of people have streamed into a square in Tel Aviv that has turned into the epicenter of the movement to bring home the hostages. Many sang and danced as they waved Israeli and American flags.
“It feels like we can finally see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel we have all been walking through,” said Einav Kahila, a 25-year-old student who came from Jerusalem. “There’s a lot of anxiety, also, because we’re always feeling unsure or insecure about the situation. But the people that came here today chose to be on the side of optimism.”
The celebrations appeared more muted than previous public reactions to ceasefires, reflecting the despair that has settled over the country as the war ground on for two years.
“Of course, it’s not over until it’s over, but today is a today we can have a little bit more hope,” said Avi Duek, who came to Hostages Square with his 14-month-old son.
Hamas official says some 2,000 prisoners to be released
A senior Hamas official has said five border crossings will be opened for aid to flow into the Gaza Strip, some 2,000 prisoners will be released and Israeli troops will withdraw from heavily populated areas as part of the U.S.-mediated deal to end the two-year war.
Osama Hamdan told the pan-Arab Al-Araby TV that 250 prisoners serving long sentences will be released in addition to 1,700 who were taken prisoner during the war in Gaza.
“We have put the names of all the commanders that we want released,” Hamdan said.
“The Israelis should withdraw from all heavily populated areas especially Gaza City, Khan Younis, Rafah and north Gaza,” he added.
The Israeli army is expected to start withdrawing on Friday but it could start as early as late Thursday, Hamdan said.
Gaza paramedic: Peace plan is a ‘moment of joy’
The head of paramedics in northern Gaza says the agreement between Israel and Hamas is a “moment of joy” because it means an end to the relentless bloodshed and killings that have claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Fares Afana said his team’s priority is to remove bodies from under the rubble and on the roads which were inaccessible during intense bombings.
“After two years of this genocide, injustice and oppression, we are physically and psychologically tired,” he added. “Only now after the ceasefire announcement, we can cry for our colleagues who were killed.”
Israeli tanks fire to push back crowds of Palestinians hoping to go home
Israeli tanks deployed on the main coastal road in Gaza have fired several rounds to push back a crowd of displaced Palestinians gathering there in hopes of returning to their homes in the north of the territory.
The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has not yet been ratified by the Israeli government and is yet to take effect. But hundreds of Palestinians have gathered on the coastal road at the intersection between north and south Gaza, in an apparent rush to return to their homes north.
Israeli military operations that began in late August in north Gaza has forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee south. The military had warned Palestinians against returning north, calling it a “dangerous combat zone.” It urged Gaza residents to wait until further notice.
In an Associated Press video, smoke was seen rising over the wide coastal al-Rashid road, as two tanks deployed to block access to the north. People fled to avoid what appeared to be gunfire over their heads.
The next steps expected in Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to convene his smaller Security Cabinet and then the full Cabinet to approve the deal late Thursday.
After the approval, Israel will publish a list of the prisoners expected to be released. Victims of attacks carried out by the prisoners will have 24 hours to petition the Israeli Supreme Court to halt the releases if they object.
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This post has been corrected to show that Israel’s full Cabinet, not the parliament, will meet to approve the deal after the Security Cabinet convenes.
Thousands of observant Jews rejoice in Jerusalem
Thousands of observant Jews have streamed into Jerusalem’s old city to mark the holiday of Sukkot at the Wall, with extra rejoicing for the upcoming release of the hostages in Gaza.
“God is making miracles, we know from the past. But today we saw it,” said Avi Kozman, who was holding Sukkot’s traditional palm branch after receiving the Priestly Blessing, or Birkat Kohanim.
Sukkot explicitly encourages Jews to rejoice, and many in the jubilant crowds that broke into spontaneous dancing by Jerusalem's old walls saw divine intervention in the timing of the announcement.
“We always see his hand in the salvation he gives us,” said Hindel Berman as she returned from prayer with her son. The New Jersey resident had come to Jerusalem to mark Sukkot. She called the announcement an answer to the prayers she’d been fervently making since Oct. 7.
“We were screaming and singing last night,” she said.
Egypt’s president says the plan ‘opens the door of hope’
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt is hailing the deal between Israel and Hamas as a “historic moment.”
“This agreement does not only close the chapter of war; it also opens the door of hope for the peoples of the region for a future defined by justice and stability,” el-Sissi wrote in a social media post.
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said he hoped the plan would “constitute a first step toward a permanent ceasefire and an end to the humanitarian suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people in Gaza.”
The United Arab Emirates, which struck a diplomatic recognition deal with Israel in 2020, also praised the move toward a ceasefire.
Saudi Arabia welcomes possible start of a ceasefire
The kingdom said in a foreign ministry statement that it hoped the peace deal will lead to urgent action to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and a complete Israeli withdrawal.
Saudi Arabia also expressed hope that the peace plan would lead to the “initiation of practical steps to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.”
European leaders praise peace deal
European leaders have praised the peace deal reached between Israel and Hamas, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressing relief Thursday.
Starmer, who is on a two-day visit to India, said at a joint news conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the agreement must now be implemented in full without delay and be accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on lifesaving humanitarian aid to Gaza.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for all parties to uphold the agreement’s terms, while the EU’s policy chief, Kaja Kallas, wrote on X that “The EU will do what it can to support its implementation.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed the deal as “extraordinary news” and urged its swift implementation, while Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel expressed hope for wider peace in the region.
In France, President Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire agreement brings hope for hostages, Palestinians in Gaza, and the entire region. He added the agreement will be discussed in Paris later Thursday.
“This agreement must mark the end of the war and the beginning of a political solution based on the two-state solution,” he said.
Exhausted Palestinians welcome peace deal with mix of hope and skepticism
Exhausted and hardened by months of brutal bombings, some Palestinians were skeptical yet impatient to see the first phase of the Trump peace plan come into effect, just hours after the agreement between Israel and Hamas was announced.
Paramedic Saeed Awad said he was first skeptical about the possibility of a ceasefire because of previous failed attempts to end the war.
“They all ended in failure. So we didn’t really pay attention to this (round),” he said. “We have been in this war and in this suffering for two years.”
Alaa Abd Rabbo, displaced from northern Gaza to Deir al-Balah, said the ceasefire deal is “a Godsend day of relief.”
He said he has been displaced from his home several times, to different parts of Gaza.
“We are tired. We have been displaced and this is the day we have been waiting for,” Abd Rabbo said. “We want to go home, to tend to our affairs, to check on our homes. Even though there are no more homes, but we still want to go home."
Israeli military says northern Gaza remains a ‘dangerous combat zone’
The Israeli military warned Palestinians in Gaza against returning north to Gaza City or approaching areas where troops are stationed until further notice.
Israel’s Arabic language spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued the warning on X, hours after Hamas and Israel agreed to the first phase of the Trump plan to pause the fighting and release hostages and prisoners.
“For your safety, refrain from returning north or approaching areas where (troops) are stationed or operating throughout” Gaza, he said.
Adraee said northern Gaza is “still considered a dangerous combat zone.”
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