Hamas declares ceasefire with backing from US
Militants of the Palestinian Hamas movement (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The Palestinian group Hamas has announced the indefinite end of the war and the start of a permanent ceasefire with Israel, according to The Times of Israel and Reuters.
Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya delivered his first speech following the agreement. He confirmed its terms and stated that the group received US guarantees for the war’s conclusion.
"We acted responsibly in relation to [US President Donald] Trump’s plan. Today we announce an agreement to end the war, [see Israel] withdraw from the Strip and carry out a prisoner exchange," Khalil al-Hayya said.
He also thanked Middle Eastern countries that acted as mediators in reaching the agreement - Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye - as well as Iran and Yemen.
According to the agreement, Israel will release all imprisoned Palestinian women and children. The group received guarantees from the US, Arab mediators, and Türkiye that the war against Gaza has ended permanently. The deal also provides for the reopening of the Rafah border crossing in both directions.
Al-Hayya confirmed that the agreement includes the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, as well as 1,700 detainees from Gaza who were arrested following the Hamas militants’ invasion on October 7, 2023.
At the same time, later stages of the agreement, which involve the disarmament of Hamas and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, have not yet been finalized.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that Israel is not preparing to resume military operations.
Israel-Hamas agreement
Last week, the US developed a peace plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas.
The plan consists of 20 points and envisions the creation of an international Peace Council led by Trump and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
On October 9, Trump announced that agreements had been reached between Israel and Hamas to implement the first stage of the peace plan.
The president also set the date for the start of the prisoner exchange, clarifying that it will begin on Monday, October 13.
At the beginning of next week, Trump is scheduled to visit Israel, including a planned address to the Knesset.
