ISRAEL’S government has formally approved a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, paving the way to end two years of war in Gaza and begin the release of Israeli hostages within the next 72 hours.
Reuters reported on Friday that the deal, brokered by the United States under President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace initiative, was ratified by the Israeli cabinet early Friday, setting in motion a phased cessation of hostilities and Israeli troop withdrawals.
The ceasefire is set to come into effect within 24 hours of ratification.
“The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages – the living and the deceased,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office posted on X.
Israeli and Palestinian civilians alike welcomed news of the agreement with cautious relief, after over 67,000 Palestinians were killed in Israel’s military campaign, triggered by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage. The latest figures suggest that 20 Israeli hostages remain alive in Gaza, with 26 presumed dead and the fate of two still unknown.
Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’s exiled Gaza chief, claimed that guarantees from the United States and other mediators confirmed the war “was over”.
While the ceasefire is seen as the most significant breakthrough since the war began, implementation remains fragile.
A Palestinian source noted that the final list of prisoners to be exchanged under the deal has yet to be confirmed. Hamas is reportedly pushing for the release of prominent detainees and hundreds arrested during the Israeli offensive.
Under the terms of the agreement, humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies, will be permitted to enter Gaza in volume as Israeli forces begin withdrawing from areas they had levelled during the campaign. Hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians in Gaza remain in dire need of assistance.
Despite the agreement, some Israeli airstrikes continued ahead of the official start of the ceasefire. On Thursday, seven Palestinians were killed in two strikes, a significant drop from the daily toll of recent weeks.
Trump, who is expected to visit the region on Sunday for a possible signing ceremony in Egypt, has been invited to address the Israeli Knesset – potentially the first US president to do so since George W. Bush in 2008. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana extended the invitation.
The former president, whose administration has struggled to deliver swift outcomes in the Gaza conflict and Ukraine war, is being credited with a major diplomatic success. Western and Arab states meeting in Paris have discussed plans for an international peacekeeping force and reconstruction programme for Gaza.
The United States will contribute 200 troops to a multinational task force, working alongside Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish and likely Emirati forces to support stability in Gaza. US officials stressed that no American troops would be deployed within the enclave itself.
Despite global praise for the ceasefire, political tensions within Israel remain. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has threatened to collapse Netanyahu’s coalition government if Hamas is not dismantled as part of the agreement’s outcome.
Nevertheless, scenes of celebration broke out in both Gaza and Tel Aviv. In Hostages Square, where families have gathered for months, Einav Zaugauker – whose son Matan is still held in Gaza – reacted with overwhelming emotion.
“I can't breathe, I can't breathe, I can't explain what I'm feeling … it's crazy,” she said.
In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Abdul Majeed Abd Rabbo expressed similar relief: “Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing. All of the Gaza Strip is happy, all the Arab people, all of the world is happy.” - October10, 2025
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