US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire deal, which includes the exchange of captives and Israel’s withdrawal from parts of Gaza.
Qatar, a key mediator in the negotiations, confirmed the development, saying that an agreement has been reached on “all the provisions and implementation mechanisms” of the first phase.
Hamas, in an official statement, said the deal stipulates “an end to the war on Gaza, the occupation’s withdrawal from it, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene his government on Thursday to approve the ceasefire agreement, calling it “a great day for Israel.”
Husam Badran, head of Hamas’s national relations and a member of its political bureau, said the agreement reflects the “steadfastness of our people in Gaza” and “the sacrifices of the resistance and fighters.”
He stated, “The final response we presented [to reach the Gaza deal] was the fruit of extensive consultations and coordination with all Palestinian national factions to ensure a unified position that fully realises the interests of the Palestinian people.”
Badran added that what has been achieved “keeps hope alive for us to shape our future with our own hands and achieve a free and just Palestinian state on all our occupied land.”
European Union officials welcomed the ceasefire as a major step towards a permanent peace. An EU spokesperson said the bloc is confident that the process will move forward and that the EU will play a “significant role” in Gaza’s reconstruction.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is expected to issue a statement later from Paris, where regional ministers are attending a meeting hosted by the French Foreign Ministry.
However, European officials acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly regarding Hamas’s disarmament and the post-war governance of Gaza, areas where they hope to have a greater role in shaping outcomes.
Israel’s war on Gaza, launched in October 2023, has killed at least 67,194 Palestinians and wounded 169,890, according to local health authorities. Thousands more remain buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed during the October 7, 2023, attacks, and about 200 were taken captive.
