Overnight between October 8 and 9, Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a peace proposal initially announced by US President Donald Trump on September 29. An Israeli delegation negotiated the deal in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, where Hamas, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the US had also sent representatives for the talks that began on Monday, October 6. “This means that all of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw its troops to an agreed-upon line,” Trump wrote in a social media post announcing the agreement.
Trump thanked Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt for mediating the ceasefire and said the deal marked a “great day” for Israel and Arab and Muslim countries in the region. He also stated that the development should pave the way to a “strong, durable and everlasting peace.” In subsequent comments, Trump added that the deal represents a “momentous breakthrough in the Middle East.”
Israel’s cabinet convened on October 9 to discuss the agreement, which is now expected to be voted on by the broader government coalition.
A ceasefire in Gaza is expected to begin on October 9. “Hamas will have 72 hours to fulfill its end of the agreement and release all the hostages. The terror group may finish releasing the hostages by Monday,” The Jerusalem Post reported. It was unclear whether the release would take place on Monday or Tuesday due to conflicting questions over the timeline, according to The Times of Israel. There are 48 hostages held in Gaza, around 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Israel is preparing to receive the hostages at hospitals, and the government has pledged a package of long-term support for these survivors, who were held in Gaza for two years.
The first phase of the deal is supposed to see the 48 hostages freed. In exchange, reports say that Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences for crimes, as well as 1,700 detainees from Gaza. “Israel will also hand over the bodies of 15 Palestinians in exchange for each hostage whose remains are returned to Israel,” the Times of Israel noted. Throughout Thursday, many discussions focused on which prisoners would be freed.
Talks are expected to continue into a second phase of the deal. The next phases will involve the demilitarization of Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, and the empaneling of a “board of peace” and a new governance institution. Further Israeli military withdrawals from the territory will accompany these initiatives.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) currently controls 70 to 80 percent of Gaza. The IDF had been fighting in Gaza City throughout September and early October in an operation dubbed Gideon’s Chariots II. To comply with the first phase of the deal, Israeli forces are supposed to withdraw to a new line of deployment that will include around 53 percent of Gaza. The following two phases would involve withdrawals to 40 percent and then 15 percent of Gaza.
The IDF is expected to remain in the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border and in other key areas, such as Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza and the environs outside major cities. The Israeli military has conducted similar withdrawals throughout the war. During the January 2025 ceasefire, the IDF withdrew from most portions of Gaza into a buffer zone along the border, similar to the vision for the subsequent phases of the current agreement.
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited Gaza on October 9, where he viewed the current posture of Israeli divisions and discussed preparations for implementing the first phase of the deal. “Thanks to significant military pressure and a powerful and high-quality ground operation, you, the troops, created the conditions for the return of the hostages home. Our military activity produced a political achievement; that achievement is first and foremost yours,” Zamir said.
