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Israel and Hamas have agreed to a temporary pause in their two-year war and to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners, a breakthrough greeted Thursday with relief and cautious optimism as details of the U.S.-brokered plan emerged.
The ceasefire, pushed by President Donald Trump and mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, could mark a turning point in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, devastated Gaza, and left dozens of hostages — living and dead — still unaccounted for.
Uncertainty remains over key parts of Trump’s broader “peace and security” plan, including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza once Israeli troops withdraw. Still, negotiators said the sides are closer than they have been in months to halting the war that began with Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Even as the deal took shape, Israeli airstrikes hit northern Gaza on Thursday, and the military said it was targeting “immediate threats” to its repositioning forces.
Key terms of the deal
Under the agreement, Hamas will release all surviving hostages within days, while Israel begins withdrawing from most of Gaza, according to officials briefed on the talks. About 20 of the 48 remaining hostages are believed to be alive.
Trump, in a video posted by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, told hostage families: “The hostages will come back. They are all coming back on Monday.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to convene his Security Cabinet late Thursday to approve the ceasefire, which would then go to parliament for final approval of the prisoner releases.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he supported the return of the hostages but warned of “immense fear about the consequences of emptying the jails and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders.”
Hamas called on Trump and mediators to ensure that Israel fulfills its commitments “without disavowal or delay.”
Implementation expected within days
Officials from Egypt and Hamas said the ceasefire agreement will be signed in Cairo and will include a detailed list of prisoners to be freed and maps marking the first Israeli troop withdrawals.
Israel is expected to publish the prisoner list Thursday, giving victims’ families 24 hours to lodge objections. The withdrawal could begin as early as Thursday evening.
Five border crossings, including Rafah, will reopen, with 400 trucks of aid entering Gaza daily at first, increasing to 600 within days.
The Trump peace framework envisions a long-term Israeli military presence along Gaza’s border and an international force — primarily from Arab and Muslim nations — to maintain internal security. The U.S. would lead a global reconstruction campaign.
The plan leaves the question of Palestinian statehood largely unresolved but anticipates future administrative involvement by the Palestinian Authority after internal reforms.
Massive toll and lingering mistrust
About 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas’ October 2023 assault, which saw 251 people taken hostage. Since then, Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 170,000 wounded, roughly half of them women and children.
The war has displaced nearly two million people and brought parts of Gaza to the brink of famine.
It would be the third ceasefire since the war began. The last one collapsed in March after an Israeli bombardment ended a brief truce.
