US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release under his plan for ending the two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave.

The breakthrough, described as a critical step towards halting one of the region’s deadliest conflicts in recent history, follows months of indirect negotiations and mounting international pressure on both sides to reach a resolution.

The announcement prompted a wave of reactions from global leaders, many of whom welcomed the development while urging both sides to honour their commitments under the deal.

‘GREAT day’

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump said on Truth Social.

“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.

“All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”

‘Historic opportunity’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement as “a historic opportunity to secure lasting peace in the Middle East.”

In a post on X, he praised President Donald Trump’s “unwavering commitment to world peace” throughout the negotiation process, as well as the “resolute and wise leadership” of Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye for their tireless mediation efforts.

PM Shehbaz paid tribute to the “unprecedented suffering” of the Palestinian people, saying their ordeal must “never, ever be repeated.”

He also condemned “recent provocations at Masjid Al Aqsa,” urging the international community to hold “occupiers and illegal settlers to account” and prevent actions that could jeopardise the progress made toward peace.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to work with “partners, friends and brotherly nations” to ensure peace, security, and dignity for the Palestinian people in line with their aspirations and relevant UN resolutions.

‘Big day for Israel’

“A big day for Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

“Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home. I thank the heroic IDF soldiers and all the security forces — thanks to their courage and sacrifice, we have reached this day.

“I thank from the bottom of my heart President Trump and his team for their dedication to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages.

“With God’s help, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbours.”

‘Never abandoning our people’s rights until freedom’

“We highly appreciate the efforts of our brothers and mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, and we also value the efforts of US President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war completely and achieving a full withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said in a statement.

“We call on President Trump, the guarantor states of the agreement, and all Arab, Islamic, and international parties to compel the occupation government to fully implement its obligations under the agreement and to prevent it from evading or delaying the implementation of what has been agreed upon.

“We salute our great people in the Gaza Strip, in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and throughout our homeland and the diaspora, who have demonstrated unparalleled honour, courage, and heroism — confronting the fascist occupation projects that targeted them and their national rights. These sacrifices and steadfast positions have thwarted the Israeli occupation’s schemes of subjugation and displacement.

“We affirm that the sacrifices of our people will not be in vain, and that we will remain true to our pledge — never abandoning our people’s national rights until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved.”

‘Permanent political solution’

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas hailed a Gaza ceasefire deal agreed by Israel and Hamas on Thursday, saying he hoped it could lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

In a statement on social media, Abbas “welcomed the announcement by US President Donald Trump of an agreement to cease the war on the Gaza Strip,” and “expressed hope that these efforts would be a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution… leading to an end to the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state”.

‘Permanent ceasefire must be secured’

“I welcome the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, based on the proposal put forward by President Donald J Trump. I commend the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in brokering this desperately needed breakthrough,” Guterres said in a statement.

“I urge all concerned to abide fully by the terms of the agreement. All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The fighting must stop once and for all. Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza must be ensured. The suffering must end.

“The United Nations will support the full implementation of the agreement and will scale up the delivery of sustained and principled humanitarian relief, and we will advance recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

“I urge all stakeholders to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognising the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.

“The stakes have never been higher.”

‘Permanent and comprehensive’

China said on Thursday that it hoped for a “permanent and comprehensive” ceasefire in Gaza, after Israel and Hamas agreed a deal to free the remaining living hostages in the territory.

“China hopes to achieve a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, effectively alleviate the humanitarian crisis, and ease regional tensions,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular news conference.

“China advocates adhering to the principle that ‘Palestinians should govern Palestine,'” Guo said.

‘Greatly pleased’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed satisfaction Thursday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire in Gaza and thanked Donald Trump´s efforts to end the war.

“I am greatly pleased that the Hamas-Israel talks… have resulted in a ceasefire in Gaza, I especially thank US President, Mr Trump, who demonstrated the necessary political will to encourage the Israeli government toward the ceasefire,” Erdogan said on his official X account.

Turkey, which has been closely involved in the negotiations and sent a team to the talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, would “closely monitor the strict implementation of the agreement”, he added.

The agreement, which will be signed in Egypt on Thursday, involves freeing the remaining hostages and is a major step towards ending the two-year war that has killed tens of thousands of people and unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe.

‘Moment of profound relief’

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday hailed the new Gaza ceasefire deal as “a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world”.

“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,” he said in a statement.

“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.”

‘Essential first step’

“Hamas needs to release all of the hostages and Israel must withdraw their troops to the agreed-upon line,” Peters said in a statement.

“This is an essential first step towards achieving lasting peace. We urge Israel and Hamas to continue working towards a complete resolution.”

Israel and Hamas agreed to a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage deal, the first phase of US President Trump’s plan to end a war in Gaza that has killed more than 67,000 people and reshaped the Middle East.

The agreement, to be signed later Thursday, also calls for Israel to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza — more than two years after the conflict began following Hamas’s unprecedented October 2023 attack on Israel.

The announcement came a day after the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks that killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. 251 people were taken hostage into Gaza, where 47 remain, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s military campaign has killed at least 67,183 Palestinians, figures the United Nations considers credible. The data show that more than half of the dead are women and children. 

Gaza’s civil defence agency reported bombardment continuing in the hours before the deal, and an AFP journalist near the border heard multiple explosions on Thursday morning.

Global pressure to end the war has escalated, with much of Gaza flattened, a UN-declared famine unfolding, and Israeli hostage families still longing for the return of their loved ones.

News of the breakthrough prompted celebrations in both Israel and Gaza, with Israeli families of hostages setting off fireworks and Palestinians clapping and cheering at the prospect of peace.

If fully implemented, the accord would mark the closest the sides have come to halting the two-year-old war that has reshaped the Middle East, drawn in Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon, and deepened Israel’s international isolation.

Despite the hopes raised for ending the war, crucial details remain unclear — including the timing of troop withdrawals, a post-war administration for Gaza, and the future role of Hamas.

— With input from AFP and Reuters