A fragile pause in the Gaza fighting looks set to begin after Israel and Hamas agreed to halt hostilities so the remaining hostages can be freed in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners part of a plan put forward by the Trump administration.
President Donald Trump celebrated the breakthrough on social media, saying, “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. All Parties will be treated fairly!” Both Israel and Hamas confirmed the broad outlines of the deal, and scenes of relief followed: families of hostages gathered in Tel Aviv to celebrate while people in Gaza expressed cautious hope.
People familiar with the talks told The Associated Press that Hamas intends to free the 20 hostages still believed to be alive within days, and that Israel would begin pulling back its forces from most of Gaza. The full agreement has not been made public, though, and several major questions remain unresolved notably how any disarmament of Hamas would work and who would govern Gaza afterward.
The war itself began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel. Since then the conflict has been devastating: tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, much of Gaza has been heavily damaged, and the fighting has rippled across the region. The violence has also deepened Israel’s international isolation and torn public opinion at home, where many have demanded a swift return of hostages.
Behind this weekend’s progress are weeks of diplomacy. With the conflict nearing its two-year mark, the Trump administration put forward a plan last month aimed at ending the war and creating a path to a more lasting peace. Negotiations in Egypt, mediated by regional players, picked up this week and by the third day yielded what participants described as a breakthrough.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a message after Trump’s announcement, saying, “With God’s help we will bring them all home,” and he said he would call a government meeting to approve the deal. Hamas, for its part, urged the mediators to make sure Israel follows through “without disavowal or delay,” stressing that any swap must include a clear withdrawal of troops and the steady flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
But the biggest sticking points – especially Hamas disarming and long-term governance – are still unsettled. Hamas leaders have long insisted they will not release hostages unless they see a real, lasting ceasefire and guarantees that the fighting will not resume once prisoners are freed.
For now, families waiting for news of loved ones have cause for guarded optimism, even as diplomats and military officials race to turn a fragile agreement into a lasting reality.
