Israeli military ‘preparing to receive’ hostages
The Israeli army has said it is “preparing to receive” the hostages held in Gaza.
“The Chief of Staff instructed to be prepared to lead the upcoming operation to return the abductees with sensitivity and professionalism,” the Israel Defense Forces posted in Arabic on X.
The military also welcomed the agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Updated at 22.30 EDT
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Closing summary
We’re about to close this file and move our live coverage to another blog here. Here’s a recap of today’s events, and you can see our full report on the ceasefire agreement here.
Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of a peace plan to pause fighting and release some hostages and prisoners held in Gaza.
The US president thanked mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, saying in a post on his Truth Social platform: “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.”
Hamas said it had reached the agreement, confirming the deal includes an Israeli withdrawal from the territory and a hostage-prisoner exchange. The militant group said the deal came after “responsible and serious negotiations” over the Trump’s proposal.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the US “for their commitment to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages” and said that “with God’s help, we will bring them all home”. Netanyahu said he would convene the Israeli government on Thursday to approve the deal.
In recent days negotiators have been meeting in Egypt to close gaps between Hamas and Israel over the details of the “first phase” of a 20-point plan announced by Trump at the White House last week.
The Hostages Families Forum, representing many of the hostage families, said it received the news of a ceasefire with “excitement, anticipation and apprehension”. It called on the Israeli government to immediately convene to approve the deal, and praised Trump for his “commitment and determination that led to this historic breakthrough”.
UN chief António Guterres welcomed the Israel-Hamas agreement, calling on all parties to “abide fully” by its terms. World leaders also hailed the deal, with British prime minister Keir Starmer speaking of his “profound relief” at the news, Canadian PM Mark Carney expressing relief that hostages will soon be reunited with their families and Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi welcoming the agreement as a “major step” toward achieving a two-state settlement.
Hamas plans to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press. The deceased hostages would come out in a later stage in phases. The Israel army would move out of 70% of the area, they said. In exchange, several hundred Palestinian prisoners held by Israel would be released.
A Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement for the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal. The agreement “will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid”, said Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, speaking on behalf of the mediators of the deal. He said the details would be announced later.
It was not immediately clear whether the parties had made any progress on thornier questions about the future of the conflict, including whether Hamas will demilitarise – as Trump has demanded – and eventual governance of the war-torn territory.
Trump said earlier that a deal was almost done and that he might travel to Egypt this weekend, possibly leaving as soon as Saturday.
The war began with Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left more than 67,000 Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.
With reporting from Ima Caldwell
Updated at 00.20 EDT
Celebrations have broken out in Israel and Gaza after Donald Trump’s announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of a peace plan to pause fighting and release some hostages and prisoners held in Gaza.
Crowds gathered near Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, clapping and cheering in what one Palestinian described as “historic moments” after two years of conflict.
The mother of Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker, Einav Zangauker, celebrated the imminent return of her son, saying: “Thank you to the people of Israel, to the soldiers, thank you to President Trump.”
You can see the footage here:
‘Historic moments’: Palestinians and Israelis celebrate Gaza ceasefire deal announcement – videoShare
In the United States, Republican lawmakers have lined up to praise Donald Trump for brokering the Israel-Hamas deal but Palestinian American were more wary.
Robert Mackey and Lauren Gambino report that Brian Mast, a Florida representative who once served as a civilian volunteer in the Israeli military, wrote that US president “just did what career diplomats never could – he brought the world closer than it’s ever been to peace in Gaza”.
This deal only works if Hamas follows through. We don’t trust terrorists, we trust results.
But Palestinian poet and 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner Mosab Abu Toha wrote on social media:
Trump officially announces that Hamas and Israel signed off the first phase of ‘Peace Plan.’ To be honest, I do not like the language here. The agreement signed should be emphatically about a permanent ceasefire. No more slaughtering of more Palestinians. It must not take phases to end a genocide. This is not truly anything close to peace! To me, it sounds like a pause of bloodshed for a few days or weeks!
I’m old enough to remember the first phase of the previous ‘ceasefire deal’ in January this year.
You can read the full story here:
Updated at 00.03 EDT
What happens now?
A lot of people will want to know what happens next. Agence France-Presse has this report:
Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said both sides have already agreed “on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement”.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will convene his government on Thursday to approve the agreement.
The deal will be formally signed on Thursday around midday in Egypt, a source with knowledge of the agreement told AFP on condition of anonymity.
A Hamas official said negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire would begin “immediately”.
Trump said on Wednesday he believed all the hostages, including the deceased will be “coming back” Monday.
Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza had called for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages held in Gaza, Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the territory.
Updated at 23.32 EDT
More international reaction is coming in. In Australia, prime minister Anthony Albanese has said the news is “a ray of light”.
Albanese and foreign minister Penny Wong released a statement. Albanese says he hopes “after decades of conflict and terror that we can break the cycle of violence and build something better”.
“The past two years [we have seen] dark days but today we see a ray of light. There is growing international momentum to bring peace and security to the Middle East.”
ShareWorld leaders hail progress on deal
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed relief that hostages will soon be reunited with their families and called on all parties to implement the agreed terms swiftly.
On Thursday, New Zealand’s government welcomed the announcement of the deal. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Israelis and Palestinians have suffered immensely and that, “Today is a positive first step in bringing that suffering to an end.”
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi also welcomed the agreement as a “major step” toward achieving a two-state settlement.
ShareFormer hostages speak of their joy
Former hostages of Hamas have celebrated the announcement.
Emily Damari, a British-Israeli who was held captive by Hamas for more than a year before being released in January, posted a video to her Instagram celebrating the news with friends, which included fellow former hostage Romi Gonen.
The group can be seen hugging each other and dancing around a room as they toast “L’chaim”, meaning “to life”.
Eli Sharabi, a freed hostage whose wife and two daughters were killed during Hamas’ attack on 7 October 2023, wrote on social media: “Great joy, can’t wait to see everyone home.”
Vicky Cohen, the mother of hostage Nimrod Cohen, wrote on X: “My child, you are coming home.”
Celebrations are unfolding in Israel and Gaza. Here are some images from the ground:
Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip celebrate in the plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv. Photograph: Emilio Morenatti/APScenes of celebration in the hostages square in Tel Aviv. Photograph: Emilio Morenatti/APPalestinians celebrate in Khan Younis.
Photograph: Video Obtained By Reuters/ReutersPalestinians celebrate following the news that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of US president Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza. Photograph: Video Obtained By Reuters/ReutersShare
Updated at 23.46 EDT
Starmer speaks of ‘profound relief’ at news of deal
Jessica Elgot
British prime minister Keir Starmer, who is in Mumbai, has spoken about the news. He said:
“I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
“This is a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world, but particularly for the hostages, their families, and for the civilian population of Gaza, who have all endured unimaginable suffering over the last two years.
“I am grateful for the tireless diplomatic efforts of Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and the United States, supported by our regional partners, in securing this crucial first step. This agreement must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“We call on all parties to meet the commitments they have made, to end the war, and to build the foundations for a just and lasting end to the conflict and a sustainable path to a long-term peace. The UK will support these crucial immediate steps and the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan.”
The Israeli military has also issued a warning telling Palestinians not to return to northern Gaza “until official instructions are issued” as it remains a combat zone.
Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said in a post on X (translated below):
Important announcement to all residents of the Gaza Strip
The area located north of the Gaza Valley is still considered a dangerous combat zone
IDF forces are still encircling Gaza City, where returning to it is considered extremely dangerous
For your safety, refrain from returning to the north or approaching areas where the Defense Forces are concentrated and working everywhere in the Gaza Strip, including in the south and east of the Gaza Strip, until official instructions are issued.
Palestinians walk past a destroyed building in the aftermath of Israeli operations in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City on Wednesday. Photograph: Ebrahim Hajjaj/ReutersShare
Updated at 23.09 EDT
Further to our earlier post on the Israeli military readying to receive hostages, its Arabic-language spokesperson said on social media that the military would be prepared “for every scenario”.
Avichay Adraee posted on X that the army welcomed “reaching an agreement to return the hostages, which is expected to be signed tonight”.
He said:
During a situation assessment conducted tonight, the Chief of Staff ordered all forces on the front and in depth to prepare a strong defensive stance and be ready for every scenario.
The deployment of forces will be carried out according to the directives of the political level and the stages of the agreement, and will be done responsibly while maintaining the security of our soldiers.
Adraee also said the chief of staff had ordered preparations to lead the anticipated operation to return the hostages “with sensitivity and professionalism”.
Updated at 23.43 EDT