Israel’s government has approved a ceasefire and hostage release agreement mediated by the Trump administration, marking a significant step after months of stalled negotiations. The deal, announced by former US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, is aimed at securing the release of remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas and implementing a temporary halt in fighting across the Gaza Strip.
This is the first major truce since March and comes nearly two years after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered an Israeli military response that caused extensive destruction in Gaza and led to thousands of Palestinian deaths.
Earlier in the day, Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said the group had received assurances from the United States, Arab mediators, and Turkey that the war in Gaza has effectively ended. Al-Hayya, who leads Hamas’s negotiating team, said the deal’s initial phase includes an exchange of captives and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. “We have received assurances from the mediators and the US administration that the war is completely over,” he said.
According to US officials, the United States will send about 200 troops to Israel as part of an international mission to support the ceasefire. The troops will help set up a civil-military coordination center under US Central Command to oversee humanitarian aid delivery and security arrangements in Gaza.
The Trump administration hopes the truce will eventually lead to broader peace talks focused on disarming Hamas and forming an interim governing body in Gaza.
Before the Israeli cabinet’s approval, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff attended key meetings, underscoring Washington’s direct involvement in the negotiation process.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faced resistance from far-right members of his coalition opposed to ending the war, welcomed the deal, calling it a diplomatic and moral achievement. “This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said early Thursday.
Once implemented, the ceasefire is expected to reduce humanitarian suffering in Gaza and mark a possible first step toward stabilizing conditions in the region.
