Jubilation and hope for lasting peace

JUBILANT crowds celebrated in Tel Aviv and Gaza last night after Donald ‘Trump brokered a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.

- By Giles Sheldrick Chief Reporter

The US leader promised “everlasting peace” in the powderkeg region as the warring neighbours signed up to his vision on “a great day in the Middle East”.

The accord aims to end two years of slaughter, with hostage and prisoner swaps set to start on Sunday.

Mr Trump is expected to fly to Egypt, where the deal was thrashed out, and then go on to Gaza. The Palestinian enclave has been almost razed in a relentless bombing blitz by Israel in response to Hamas's bloody attack on October 7, 2023.

The president said getting Israeli hostages out of Gaza “is a complicated process” as “they are in places you don’t want to be”.

Speaking at his cabinet meeting last night, Mr Trump thanked other countries involved in the talks in Egypt, adding: “The whole world has come together for this.

“People that didn’t get along, people that didn’t like each other, neighbouring countries that frankly didn’t like each other, but now they did this. We look forward to welcoming the hostages.”

A senior Hamas official last night said the group declared an end to the war, claiming it marked the start of a “permanent ceasefire”.

Khalil al Hayya, a survivor of Israel’s strike on Hamas officials in Qatar last month, said the agreement includes opening the Rafah crossing in both directions. He said Hamas received guarantees from the US and mediators involved in talks with Israel confirming the war was completely over.