World leaders express hope after Israel and Hamas agreed to first phase of plan to end Gaza war

World leaders on Thursday expressed hope for peace and urged Israel and Hamas to fulfill their commitments in the hours after U.S. 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.

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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.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media: "With God's help we will bring them all home."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country played a role in the negotiations, hailed the agreement. He thanked Trump in a statement on X for "demonstrating the necessary political will," as well as Qatar and Egypt for facilitating the deal.

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi hailed the deal between Israel and Hamas as a "historic moment."

"This agreement does not only close the chapter of war; it also opens the door of hope for the peoples of the region for a future defined by justice and stability," el-Sissi wrote on social media.