Israel, Gaza Celebrate Ceasefire; Hostages May Go Free

Israel, Gaza Celebrate Ceasefire; Hostages May Go Free

Israelis and Palestinians erupted in celebration on Thursday after a ceasefire and hostage release deal were announced under the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace initiative to end the Gaza war.

The agreement, to be formally signed at noon in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, marks the most significant breakthrough since the conflict began two years ago.

A source familiar with the deal said Israeli hostages could be freed as early as Saturday, while Israeli troops are expected to begin withdrawing from Gaza within 24 hours.

Israel’s security cabinet is set to meet at 5 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) to review the agreement.

Across both Israel and Gaza, families of hostages and war victims expressed overwhelming relief.

“Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing,” said Abdul Majeed Abd Rabbo in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. “All of Gaza is happy, all the Arab people, all the world is happy.”

In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, Einav Zaugauker, whose son Matan was kidnapped two years ago, wept with joy. “I can’t breathe … it’s overwhelming. I just want to hug him and tell him I love him.”

Despite the announcement, Gaza residents reported continued Israeli strikes overnight in Shejaia, Tuffah and Zeitoun. The Israeli military has warned civilians against returning north, calling it a “dangerous combat zone.”

The deal follows two days of indirect talks in Egypt and forms part of Trump’s 20-point peace framework. However, details remain uncertain — including Gaza’s post-war governance and Hamas’s future role.

Trump announced the agreement on social media, saying, “All hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw troops to an agreed line — the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed it as “a diplomatic and moral victory,” though far-right members of his coalition voiced opposition, insisting Hamas must be eliminated.

Hamas officials said the agreement includes a prisoner-hostage exchange.

More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage.

In parallel, Israel’s military campaigns have shifted regional dynamics, killing top Hezbollah and Iranian commanders. But mounting global condemnation has left Israel increasingly isolated, with international experts accusing it of committing genocide — a charge Israel rejects as false.

Netanyahu and Trump, in a phone call, lauded the ceasefire as an “historic achievement.” The next phase of Trump’s plan envisions an international body — led by Trump and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair — to oversee Gaza’s post-war transition.

Arab nations supporting the plan stress that it must pave the way for Palestinian statehood, a goal Netanyahu continues to reject.