After Two Years of War, peace finds its moment in the Middle East
JERUSALEM (middle east war) — For 734 days, the war between Israel and Hamas has meant an endless stream of loss. It meant parents waiting for children who were taken hostage, and children growing up in rubble. It meant a world watching, and waiting, for a break in the darkness.
On Wednesday, that break finally came.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a peace deal, a plan that would bring a ceasefire, send Israeli troops back from parts of Gaza, and see all remaining hostages come home . The agreement, reached after three days of intense talks in Egypt, offers the first real hope of an end to a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” President Trump wrote in a social media post. “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”.
The Terms of the Truce
The agreement centers on a simple, painful trade: the release of people for a pause in the fighting.
According to the deal, Hamas will release the 48 hostages it is still holding in Gaza. Of these, 20 are believed to be alive, while 28 are deceased . In return, Israel will free nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees from its prisons . A senior Palestinian official told the BBC that the list of prisoners Hamas submitted included high-profile figures, though Israel has stated that popular leader Marwan Barghouti will not be among those released.
At the same time, the Israeli military will begin to pull its soldiers back to an agreed-upon line within Gaza. An Israeli government spokeswoman said this withdrawal would leave the military in control of about 53% of the territory.
The agreement also opens the door for life-saving aid to flow into Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of famine. Israel will allow 400 aid trucks to enter the strip daily during the first five days of the ceasefire, with that number gradually increasing in later stages.
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A Delicate Timeline
The path from agreement to action is set to move quickly. The Israeli government was scheduled to vote on the deal Thursday, with approval widely expected.
Once approved, the ceasefire will begin within 24 hours . The Israeli withdrawal will then happen, and a 72-hour countdown will start for Hamas to release all the hostages, a process expected to be completed by Monday .
This deal represents only the first portion of a larger 20-point peace plan proposed by President Trump at the end of September. The most difficult issues like who will govern Gaza after the war and the disarmament of Hamas are still to be negotiated.
A Wave of Relief and Cautious Joy
The news was met with a powerful mix of joy, relief, and caution in both Israel and Gaza.
In Tel Aviv, crowds gathered in Hostages Square, a place that has been a symbol of pain and protest for two years. This time, people cheered, waved Israeli and American flags, and hugged one another. Former hostages who had been released in earlier deals joined the families of those still in captivity, their arrival met with cheers from the crowd.
“I want to see him, feel him, touch him. Only then will I know it’s real, because everything can still change,” said Avishai David, the father of hostage Evyatar David.
In Gaza, the reaction was just as emotional. Palestinians poured into the streets of Khan Younis, cheering and whooping at the announcement . “We have lost a lot during the two years of war. The Gaza Strip is destroyed,” said Mousa, a doctor in Deir al-Balah. “A difficult time still awaits us, but the important thing is we hope to be safe”.
A World Weary of War Responds
World leaders, who have watched the conflict with growing alarm, quickly welcomed the breakthrough.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the agreement as a “momentous opportunity” and said the UN would support its full implementation . British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged that the agreement must be implemented “in full without delay”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “a great day for Israel” and a “diplomatic success,” offering his thanks to President Trump. Hamas, in its statement, thanked the mediators and called on the U.S. to ensure Israel complies with the terms.
The Road Ahead
Despite the celebration, a long and difficult road remains. This is a ceasefire, not a final peace. The same issues that have caused previous deals to collapse are still on the table.
“You could say that the initial phase of the initial phase is working out,” said Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, Marwan Bishara. He noted that “serious disagreements” remain, particularly on the future governance of Gaza and the fate of Hamas.
For now, though, the agreement offers something that has been in short supply for two years: a chance for peace.
Author: Junaid Arif
Date: 8 Oct, 2025
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