It has been nearly two years since the deadly Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left about 1,200 people dead and saw 251 others taken hostage. Since then, the region has been gripped by relentless violence, widespread destruction, and a hostage crisis that has shaken families on both sides of the conflict. Now, in a dramatic turn, a U.S.-brokered plan spearheaded by President Donald Trump has brought a glimmer of hope for a ceasefire and the potential release of the remaining hostages.
On October 4, 2025, President Trump declared that Hamas appeared ready for a “lasting peace” and demanded Israel immediately halt its bombing campaign in Gaza. His warning was clear: “all bets will be off” if Hamas failed to act swiftly. According to Global News, Trump’s intervention marks a critical juncture, with indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas scheduled to begin in Egypt on October 6, 2025.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a series of televised statements, expressed cautious optimism. “I hope to announce the release of all hostages in the coming days,” he said, as reported by BBC and The Media Line. Netanyahu’s remarks come as families of hostages and their supporters stage demonstrations, demanding both the immediate return of their loved ones and an end to the war that has devastated Gaza.
The proposed agreement, shaped by intense U.S. diplomacy, is ambitious. Hostilities would immediately cease. Within 72 hours, Hamas would release all hostages it still holds—48 in total, with Israel believing 20 are alive. In return, Israel would free 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 detainees from Gaza, including all women and children. For each Israeli hostage’s body returned, Israel would hand over the bodies of 15 Palestinians. The plan also envisions Hamas disarming and Israeli forces withdrawing in favor of an international security force, though Netanyahu has made it clear that a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza is not on the table.
“Hamas was forced to agree to our plan,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. “At the first stage, Hamas will release all of our hostages. The IDF will continue to hold control of all the territories in the depths of Gaza, in a way that ensures we maintain control deep within Gaza.” He revealed that a recent Israeli operation in Gaza, ordered to pressure Hamas leadership, was closely coordinated with President Trump. “It turned things completely upside down,” Netanyahu explained, crediting the joint effort with isolating Hamas and applying the “immense pressure” now compelling the group to negotiate.
According to The Media Line, Netanyahu emphasized that 207 hostages have already been rescued alive during the war, and he has not given up hope for the rest. He described meeting repeatedly with families of hostages, assuring them, “We have never, ever forgotten you throughout this war.” The prime minister rejected claims that Hamas had previously been willing to release captives without a full Israeli withdrawal, insisting, “That was a lie. Only the military pressure and the political pressure that we wielded upon them had brought about the current change.”
President Trump, meanwhile, has been forceful in his messaging. On his Truth Social platform, he wrote, “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off... Let’s get this done, FAST.” He later confirmed Israel’s initial approval of the plan, stating that a ceasefire would be “IMMEDIATELY effective” once Hamas agreed, and the hostages and prisoner exchange would begin. The White House amplified Trump’s message, with its X account retweeting his assertion that the agreement’s next phase “will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE.”
Despite the progress, obstacles remain. Hamas, while agreeing to release hostages under the U.S. plan, has not committed to disarmament—a key Israeli demand—and is seeking negotiations on other issues. The group’s leaders have expressed fears that Israel could resume military operations after reclaiming its hostages, and they have demanded assurances that this will not happen. As BBC reports, “the devil is always in the detail,” and many in Gaza worry about the risks of a deal that leaves them vulnerable.
Inside Israel, the political landscape is fraught. Netanyahu faces pressure from ultranationalist ministers who have threatened to quit his coalition if the war ends without Hamas’s total defeat. Critics have accused him of sabotaging previous negotiations to prolong the conflict for political gain. Yet, polls consistently find that most Israelis favor a deal to bring the hostages home and end the war, even as the country remains deeply divided and exhausted by the ongoing violence.
For families of hostages, the prospect of a deal brings a mix of hope and anxiety. Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod is among those still believed alive in Gaza, told BBC, “It is a fragile situation and we don’t want to be disappointed again. And yet I feel hope that soon I will see Nimrod and I can hug [him] again.” A group representing these families called the latest development “the closest we’ve come” to seeing their loved ones return, urging Trump to push forward “with full force” and warning that “extremists on both sides” might try to derail the process.
Reactions among Palestinians in Gaza are equally mixed. Some see a historic opportunity to end two years of suffering, while others fear Hamas has walked into a trap. “Don’t get carried away by optimism,” Gaza resident Ibrahim Fares told BBC. “There will be rounds of talks over the details.” The Hamas-run health ministry reported that 66 people were killed by Israeli operations in Gaza in the past 24 hours, bringing the total since the war began to 67,074. Most of Gaza’s population has been repeatedly displaced, and more than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed.
Despite President Trump’s call for Israel to “immediately stop the bombing,” Israeli strikes continued in Gaza on October 4, 2025, with three airstrikes hitting Gaza City that morning. Medical sources at al-Shifa Hospital confirmed one fatality and several injuries. International journalists have been barred by Israel from independently entering Gaza since the war’s outset, making independent verification of claims from both sides a challenge.
The proposed plan also outlines a long-term vision: if the Palestinian Authority implements reforms and redevelopment in Gaza progresses, there may finally be a credible path to Palestinian self-determination and statehood. The territory would be placed under international governance, with Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing the transition.
As the two-year anniversary of the conflict approaches, momentum for a deal is building. Yet, the path to peace remains uncertain, with the fate of hostages, the future of Gaza, and the political survival of leaders on all sides hanging in the balance.
