Qatar confirms an agreement on the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, covering the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and allowing humanitarian aid. Israeli PM Netanyahu calls it a historic success, while Hamas urges full implementation and pledges to protect Palestinian rights
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Pic/AFP
Qatar's Prime Minister and official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Al Ansari, on Thursday said that an agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Ansari said that the deal covered the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
In a post on X, he wrote, "The mediators announce that tonight an agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid. The details will be announced later."
The mediators announce that tonight an agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid.…
— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) October 8, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also hailed what he calls "a great day for Israel", saying he will "convene the government tomorrow [Thursday] to approve the agreement and bring all our precious kidnapped people home."
Posting on X, Netanyahu said the nation was united behind the families of those held in Gaza, saying: "And they returned from the enemy land ... and their sons returned to their borders." He thanked the Israeli military and security forces, as well as US President Donald Trump and his team, "for their commitment to this sacred mission of freeing our kidnapped people".
With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home. This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 8, 2025
From the beginning, I made it clear: we will not rest until all our hostages return and all our goals…
"With God's help, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbours," Netanyahu posted. Hamas has released its first public statement since US President Trump said the Palestinian group and Israel had "signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan".
In a post on Telegram, Hamas announced the "conclusion of an agreement stipulating an end to the war on Gaza, the occupation's withdrawal from it, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange", as per Al Jazeera.
The statement called on the US leader, Arab mediators and international parties to "compel the occupation government [Israel] to fully implement the agreement's requirements and not allow it to evade or delay the implementation of what has been agreed upon".
The group concluded by saying it will remain "faithful to our pledge and will not abandon our people's national rights, including freedom, independence, and self-determination," Al Jazeera reported.
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