US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have “both signed off” on the first phase of a peace plan for Gaza, signalling what could be the most significant breakthrough since the war began. “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The development follows three days of indirect negotiations in Egypt, mediated by officials from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United States, aimed at bringing an end to the two-year war. Both Israel and Hamas confirmed that a preliminary agreement had been reached, raising cautious optimism across the region.

Trump’s statement did not clarify several unresolved issues, including the disarmament of Hamas and the future governance of Gaza. However, the deal is being viewed as the closest the two sides have come to ending a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and drawn in regional powers including Iran, Lebanon and Yemen.

In Israel, the news was met with emotional reactions. Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, was seen reacting tearfully following Trump’s announcement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “great day” in a post on X, adding that he would convene the government “to ratify the agreement and bring all of our precious hostages home”. Netanyahu and Trump held a “moving” call to congratulate each other on what they described as a “historic achievement”.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said: “At this moment the heart of Israel beats as one with the hostages and their families.” Israel says 48 hostages remain in captivity, with up to 20 believed to be alive.

Hamas confirmed that the deal includes an Israeli withdrawal, a hostage-prisoner exchange and the entry of aid into Gaza, saying they “value the efforts of US President Donald Trump, who seeks to bring about a definitive end to the war”. The group urged Trump and Arab states to ensure Israel does not evade implementation.

A senior White House official told CBS that “our assessment is that hostages will begin getting released on Monday”, a timeline later echoed by Trump. A senior Palestinian official told the BBC that the ceasefire would take effect immediately after Israeli cabinet approval at around 14:00 Jerusalem time (11:00 GMT). Israel is expected to allow 400 aid trucks into Gaza daily during the initial five days, with a gradual increase to follow.

Officials said the “yellow line” originally shown on the map released by the White House has been adjusted to meet Israeli security demands while allowing Hamas to secure the release of hostages. Hamas included high-profile detainees such as Marwan Barghouti in the prisoner list submitted in Cairo, though it remains unclear if Israel has agreed to release him.

Celebrations broke out in parts of Gaza, particularly in Khan Younis, where Palestinians took to the streets following the announcement. UN Secretary General António Guterres said the UN supported the “full implementation of the agreement & will scale up the delivery of sustained & principled humanitarian relief”, urging all parties to “seize this momentous opportunity”.

Later, in an interview with Fox News, Trump said the agreement would usher in a “different world”, saying it goes beyond Gaza and could lead to wider “peace in the Middle East”. “Gaza, we believe is going to be a much safer place… and other countries in the area will help it reconstruct because they have tremendous amounts of wealth,” he said.

Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio handed Trump a note during an event, prompting Trump to step out briefly to “focus on the Middle East”. That note, he later said, informed him the deal was close.

Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after the 7 October 2023 attack, in which Hamas-led gunmen killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Gaza’s health ministry reports at least 67,183 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, including more than 20,000 children. The UN considers the figures credible, though Israel disputes them. The health ministry says at least 460 people have died from malnutrition, including 182 since a famine was confirmed by the UN-backed IPC in August.

Netanyahu has denied famine conditions in Gaza, insisting Israel is facilitating aid deliveries.