Displaced Palestinians began their morning in a makeshift beach camp in Al-Zawayda, near Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, on Thursday, October 9, 2025 — just hours after news broke of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas to be signed in Egypt.
The two sides reached a deal to halt fighting and release the remaining living hostages, marking a major step toward ending a war that has killed tens of thousands and devastated Gaza.
The agreement forms the first phase of the 20-point Gaza peace plan unveiled last month by US President Donald Trump. The initial stage focuses on a large-scale prisoner swap for hostages.
As part of the deal, humanitarian aid will begin flowing back into Gaza after more than two years of war, which began following Hamas’s unprecedented October 2023 attack on Israel. The Israeli military confirmed preparations to withdraw some forces from the Strip under the agreement.
Trump’s broader plan later envisions Hamas disarming and Gaza being administered by a transitional authority led by the US president — a proposal that remains under discussion.
According to a Hamas source who spoke to AFP, the group will release 20 living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the first phase, with the exchange expected within 72 hours of the agreement’s activation. Trump said he believed “all the hostages will be coming back on Monday.”
The news sparked scenes of relief and celebration across Gaza, where much of the territory lies in ruins and most residents have been displaced multiple times.
“Honestly, when I heard the news, I couldn’t hold back. Tears of joy flowed,” said displaced Palestinian Samer Joudeh. “After two years of bombing, terror, and loss, it finally feels like we’re getting a moment of respite.”
Negotiations took place indirectly in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, with Qatar confirming the deal as the “first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement” — a step toward ending the war, freeing prisoners and hostages, and restoring aid access.
The hostages will be released in exchange for 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 others detained since the start of the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to bring the hostages home “with God’s help,” while his cabinet was expected to approve the agreement later Thursday.
President Trump hinted that he may visit the Middle East this weekend, saying, “I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday… most likely to Egypt, but possibly Gaza.”
The deal coincides with the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which killed 1,219 people and saw 251 others taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. In response, Israel’s military campaign has claimed at least 67,183 lives in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry — numbers deemed credible by the UN. More than half of the dead are women and children.
Global calls for peace have intensified amid famine conditions in Gaza and mounting public protests worldwide. The United Nations recently accused Israel of genocide — an allegation the Israeli government has rejected — while also condemning Hamas for war crimes.
A key sticking point in the negotiations reportedly involved Hamas’s demand to include high-profile Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti among the prisoners to be freed. Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya stressed that the group seeks “guarantees from President Trump and the sponsor countries that the war will end once and for all.”
