In a dramatic turn of events after nearly two years of relentless conflict, Israel’s Cabinet has approved a ceasefire plan brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, marking a potential end to one of the region’s most devastating wars in decades. The agreement, which includes the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas and a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, was hailed by leaders on both sides as a breakthrough—though many uncertainties remain about what comes next.
The war, which erupted on October 7, 2023, began with a deadly Hamas attack on Israeli territory, resulting in the deaths of about 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza has, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 170,000, with around half of the fatalities being women and children. The scale of destruction has drawn international condemnation, accusations of genocide (which Israel vehemently denies), and left much of Gaza in ruins. The conflict has also destabilized the broader Middle East, sparking regional clashes and global protests.
According to the Associated Press, the Israeli Cabinet’s approval came early Friday, October 10, 2025, following intense debate and a brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The statement confirmed the approval of the “outline” of Trump’s deal, which focuses on the immediate release of hostages but leaves more controversial elements, such as the long-term governance of Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas, for future negotiations. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said the ceasefire would begin as soon as the government gave the green light, with the military required to pull back to an agreed-upon line within 24 hours.
President Trump announced the breakthrough on Truth Social at 23:17 GMT on October 8, declaring, “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan… BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” In an emotional video posted by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump was seen speaking by phone to families of the hostages, assuring them, “They are all coming back on Monday.”
Trump’s 20-point peace framework, first unveiled on September 29, 2025, after a White House meeting with Netanyahu, was quickly welcomed by Israel, Hamas, and many international actors. The first phase centers on a prisoner and hostage exchange: Hamas will release all living Israeli captives within days, while Israel will free around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including all women and children, and open the border crossing with Egypt to allow desperately needed aid to flow into Gaza. Five border crossings in total, including the critical Rafah crossing, are set to reopen.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official and negotiator, outlined the terms in a televised address: “We announce that we have reached an agreement to begin implementing a permanent ceasefire. The agreement includes opening the Rafah crossing in both directions. Exchange of prisoners, including: 250 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, 1,700 prisoners from the Gaza Strip arrested after October 7, all children and women in detention.” Al-Hayya also emphasized that the Trump administration and international mediators had given assurances that the war was over, and that Palestinian factions would now focus on self-determination and statehood.
Netanyahu, for his part, called the agreement “a great day for Israel” and offered “heartfelt thanks to President Trump and his team for their dedication to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages.” The mood in Israel was a mix of relief and jubilation; in Tel Aviv, families of the hostages celebrated with champagne, while in Jerusalem, Sharon Canot told the AP, “We are so excited this morning. We cried all morning. It’s been two years that we are in horror.”
Yet, despite the celebrations, the situation on the ground remained tense. In the hours leading up to the Cabinet vote, Israeli airstrikes persisted across Gaza, with explosions reported in the north and a strike on a building in Gaza City that killed at least two people and left dozens trapped under rubble, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense. In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, residents greeted the news with a mixture of relief and sorrow. “I am happy and unhappy. We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends and family. We lost our homes,” said Mohammad Al-Farra. “Despite our happiness, we cannot help but think of what is to come. ... The areas we are going back to, or intending to return to, are uninhabitable.”
The implementation of the deal is expected to begin rapidly. According to multiple officials from Egypt and Hamas, the exchange of hostages and prisoners could start as early as Sunday night, with all living hostages released within 72 hours of the ceasefire’s commencement. Israel will publish a list of prisoners to be released, allowing victims’ families 24 hours to lodge objections. Meanwhile, the Israeli military will begin a phased pullback from much of Gaza, though Israeli officials have made clear that the country will retain control over more than half of the territory for now.
The Trump plan also calls for a continued Israeli military presence inside Gaza along the border, while an international force—likely comprised of troops from Arab and Muslim countries—will be responsible for security inside Gaza proper. The United States will send about 200 troops to Israel as part of a broader international monitoring team, U.S. officials told the AP. In addition, the U.S. is expected to spearhead a massive, internationally funded reconstruction effort to rebuild Gaza’s shattered infrastructure.
Looking further ahead, the plan envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, but only after a sweeping reform program that could take years to implement. The future of a Palestinian state remains vague in the agreement, with Netanyahu continuing to reject the idea outright. Disarmament of Hamas is slated for a second phase, though, as Al Jazeera’s Marwan Bishara observed, “some serious disagreements” remain between the parties, especially regarding the timing and extent of Israeli withdrawal and the fate of Hamas itself.
Notably, Israel will not release prominent Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, a key figure in the Fatah movement, as part of the prisoner exchange. Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian confirmed that Barghouti’s name was not on the list and reiterated that Israel would maintain significant military control in Gaza even after the initial withdrawal.
Experts caution that while the deal offers a glimmer of hope, the path to lasting peace is fraught with challenges. Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man, director of Israel-Palestine at the rights group Dawn, remarked, “Israel has deliberately, openly and brazenly broken every ceasefire that was achieved up until this point. Ensuring that they comply by the terms, that they don’t go back to the fighting and reimpose the siege – that they actually allow not only aid but commercial goods and people to flow across the border – is going to be something that I think we are not quite there yet.”
President Trump is expected to travel to Egypt soon, and Netanyahu has invited him to address Israel’s parliament—a move that would underscore the significance of U.S. involvement in brokering the deal. As the world watches, the coming days will reveal whether this fragile ceasefire can hold, and whether the people of Gaza and Israel can begin to heal from years of unimaginable loss.