World leaders express relief as deal raises hopes of ending war

World leaders on Thursday expressed hope for peace and urged Israel and Hamas to fulfill their commitments in the hours after US President Donald Trump announced that the parties had agreed to the “first phase” of a deal signaling a major breakthrough in the two-year war in Gaza.

- 

Officials on both sides confirmed they had signed the deal following indirect talks in the Egyptian beach resort of Sharm Al Sheikh. At the White House, Trump said he believed it would lead to “lasting peace.”

Hamas will release all 20 living hostages in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

“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,” Trump wrote on social media.

Later during the day, Trump said he would try to go to Egypt for the signing of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. “I'm going to try and make a trip over. We're going to try and get over there, and we're working on the timing, the exact timing,” Trump said at a cabinet meeting.

Trump added that hostages held in the Palestinian territory would be released on “Monday or Tuesday” and said that the deal had “ended the war in Gaza.”