Hostages may be released Saturday after Gaza ceasefire deal

Israelis and Palestinians rejoiced on Thursday after a ceasefire and hostage deal was announced under the first phase of US President Donald Trump's initiative to end the war in Gaza.

Egypt's state-affiliated Qahera TV reported the ceasefire had officially come into effect after noon in the region (0900 GMT), when the two sides signed it in the Egyptian beach resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said it would take effect only once ratified by the Israeli cabinet, which was scheduled to meet at 5:00 pm. Residents in Gaza reported a series of air strikes on Gaza City around the time it was due to be signed.

Under the deal, fighting will cease, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza and Hamas will free hostages it captured in the attack that precipitated the war, in exchange for prisoners held by Israel.

A source briefed on details of the agreement said Israeli troops would begin pulling back within 24 hours of the deal being signed.

The release of all 20 Israeli hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza is expected on Sunday or Monday, an Israeli official said. Another 26 hostages have been declared dead in absentia and the fate of two is unknown. Hamas has indicated it may take time to recover bodies scattered across Gaza.

Palestinians and the families of Israeli hostages broke into wild celebrations after news emerged of the pact. In Gaza, where most of the more than 2 million people have been displaced by Israeli bombing, young men applauded in the devastated streets, even as Israeli strikes continued.

20-POINT FRAMEWORK

Just a day after the second anniversary of Hamas' cross-border attack that triggered Israel's devastating assault on Gaza, indirect talks in Egypt yielded an agreement on the initial stage of Trump’s 20-point framework.

But the agreement announced by Trump late on Wednesday was short on detail and left many unresolved questions that could yet lead to its collapse.

Still yet to be hammered out are plans to govern Gaza after the war, and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has rejected Israel's demands that it give up its weapons.

"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," Trump added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the deal "a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel".

The next phase of Trump's plan calls for an international body led by Trump and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to play a role in Gaza's post-war administration.

Arab countries which back the plan say it must lead to eventual independence for a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu says will never happen.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi called the agreement an historic moment. Regional power Saudi Arabia said the Gaza agreement marks an important step towards achieving a comprehensive and just peace in the region.

HAMAS SAYS DEAL INCLUDES PRISONER-HOSTAGE SWAP

More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led fighters stormed through Israeli towns on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages.

In parallel, Israel's military has waged campaigns that have tipped the balance of power in the Middle East in its favour, killing the leaders of Hezbollah in a campaign in Lebanon and top Iranian commanders in a 12-day war against Iran.

But global outrage has mounted against Israel's assault, leaving it internationally isolated. Multiple rights experts, scholars and a UN inquiry say it amounts to genocide. Israel calls its actions self-defence after the 2023 Hamas attack.