World reacts to Gaza ceasefire deal announced by Trump

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal built off United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan aimed at ending Israel’s war on Gaza.

“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform, announcing the ceasefire agreement late on Wednesday.

Under the first phase of the plan, Hamas and other Palestinian factions are required to release 20 Israeli captives held in Gaza who are believed to be alive, and the bodies of 28 others in the Palestinian territory. Israel is required to release more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners it holds in its jails, based on a list shared by Hamas. This includes hundreds of people from Gaza whom Israel has arrested since the start of the war in October 2023.

Israel and Hamas subsequently confirmed the agreement, though key differences remain over their interpretations of how Trump’s broader plan is to unfold.

The announcement followed three days of indirect talks between Hamas and Israel in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. Senior officials from Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt and the US had joined the delegations from Israel and Hamas on Wednesday for those talks.

The ceasefire has not come into force yet, but the announcement of the deal prompted messages of congratulations and hope from regional and world leaders.

Here are some of them:

US President Donald Trump

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump said on Truth Social, soon after he received a note from Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the middle of a press briefing, telling the president that a deal was close to being struck.

“All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”

Speaking to Sean Hannity on the phone on Fox News, Trump claimed that the world will see “people getting along and Gaza will be rebuilt”, adding that it is going to be a “different world” and that there will be “wealth spent in Gaza”.

“I’m very confident there’ll be peace in the Middle East.”

Trump has hinted that he might travel to Egypt as soon as this weekend.

“I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday,” he told reporters at the White House earlier on Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

“A big day for Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement from his Jerusalem office.

“Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home,” he said, thanking Israeli soldiers for “their courage and sacrifice”.

He extended his “heartfelt thanks” to Trump and his team “for their dedication to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages”.

“With God’s help, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbours “.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich

An opposing voice came from the far-right politician, who said Hamas must be destroyed following the return of the captives from Gaza.

“Immediately after the hostages return home, the state of Israel will continue to strive with all its might for the true eradication of Hamas and the genuine disarmament of Gaza, so that it no longer poses a threat to Israel,” Smotrich said in a post on X.

Smotrich said he will not vote in favour of a ceasefire deal with Hamas to end the war in Gaza, but stopped short of threatening to bring down Netanyahu’s coalition government.

“It is also imperative to ensure that we do not revert to the misconceptions of October 6th and become addicted again to artificial calm, diplomatic embraces, and smiling ceremonies, while mortgaging the future and paying horrific prices,” he said.

Hamas

“We highly appreciate the efforts of our brothers and mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, and we also value the efforts of US President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war completely and achieving a full withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said in a statement.

“We call on President Trump, the guarantor states of the agreement, and all Arab, Islamic, and international parties to compel the occupation government to fully implement its obligations under the agreement and to prevent it from evading or delaying the implementation of what has been agreed upon.

“We salute our great people in the Gaza Strip, in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and throughout our homeland and the diaspora, who have demonstrated unparalleled honour, courage, and heroism — confronting the fascist occupation projects that targeted them and their national rights. These sacrifices and steadfast positions have thwarted the Israeli occupation’s schemes of subjugation and displacement.

“We affirm that the sacrifices of our people will not be in vain, and that we will remain true to our pledge — never abandoning our people’s national rights until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved.”

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

The PA leader welcomed the Gaza deal, saying he hoped it would be a prelude to reaching a two-state solution.

He commended the efforts made by Trump and all mediators – Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye – and expressed the PA’s readiness to work with them to ensure the success of their work, the official Wafa news agency reported.

Abbas reiterated that sovereignty over Gaza belongs to the Palestinian state and the connection between the occupied West Bank and the enclave must be achieved through the implementation of Palestinian laws and the work of Palestinian government institutions, the report said.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad

The second largest armed group in Gaza said the ceasefire deal is a result of “enormous sacrifices” in Gaza.

PIJ added that the ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange are not a “gift from anyone”, but, at the same time, does not deny international efforts in securing the deal.

“We emphasise the enormous sacrifices made by our Palestinian people, and the courage and bravery of its fighters on the ground who confronted the enemy forces and showed unprecedented courage in combat,” the PIJ said in a statement.

“In these historic moments, our people will not forget their great martyrs who played the most important role in keeping the resistance steadfast,” it added.

Qatar

Qatar has led mediation efforts to end the war over the past two years. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani headed to Egypt to participate in the ceasefire talks, underscoring the urgency of efforts to end the war.

“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,” Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said after the announcement of the ceasefire deal.

Talking about the agreement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said on X that “details will be announced later”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Erdogan has expressed his great satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement.

“I extend my sincere gratitude to US President Trump, who demonstrated the necessary political will to encourage the Israeli government to agree to a ceasefire, and to our brotherly countries, Qatar and Egypt, for their significant support in reaching the agreement,” he said.

“As Turkiye, we will closely monitor the agreement’s strict implementation and continue to contribute to the process. Similarly, we will continue our struggle until an independent, sovereign, and geographically integrated State of Palestine is established in Palestine, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he added.

Erdogan also extended his “most heartfelt greetings to my Palestinian brothers and sisters, who have endured indescribable suffering for two years, struggled for life and dignity under inhumane conditions, lost their children, mothers, fathers, relatives, and friends, and who, despite all the tragedies they have endured, have not compromised their dignified stance”.

Iran

Tehran called on the international community to prevent Israel from violating its obligations in Gaza, its Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry said Iran supports any effort that ends the genocide and the war in Gaza.

Saudi Arabia

The kingdom said in a Foreign Ministry statement that it hoped the peace deal will lead to urgent action to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and a complete Israeli withdrawal.

Saudi Arabia also expressed hope that the plan would lead to the “initiation of practical steps to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.”

United Arab Emirates

The UAE welcomes the agreement on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire framework, urging all parties to abide by its terms, the Foreign Ministry said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

Ibrahim said in a statement: “This development offers a semblance of hope after months of unbearable suffering and devastation.”

He urged all parties to seize the opportunity to move towards a comprehensive and enduring peace.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez

Spain, a key pro-Palestinian voice in Europe which has been calling for an end to the war and sanctions against Israel, “welcomes the news coming from the Middle East and trusts that this is the beginning of a just and lasting peace.”

“Now it’s time to engage in dialogue, assist the civilian population, and look to the future. With hope. But also with justice and memory. So that the atrocities experienced are never repeated, ” Sanchez added.

Russia

Moscow supports the agreement between Israel and Hamas on the first phase of the settlement of the conflict in Gaza, the Interfax news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

Albanese described the agreement as a “ray of light”.

The announcement brought “hope that after eight decades of conflict and terror, we can break this cycle of violence and build something better”, he said.

“Today the world has cause for real hope,” he added.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

The UN chief welcomed the agreement to secure a ceasefire and captives release in Gaza and said the world body is ready to help. “The United Nations stands ready to provide its full support. We and our partners are prepared to move – now,” Guterres said at the UN. He pressed for full and sustained access for humanitarian workers in Gaza

European Union’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas

Kallas said Israel and Hamas agreeing to the first phase of the Gaza plan is a significant breakthrough, and a real chance to end the war and release all the captives, calling it “a major diplomatic accomplishment”.

“The EU will do what it can to support its implementation,” she added.

French President Emmanuel Macron

Macron welcomed the ceasefire deal and expressed the hope it would pave the way for a “political solution”.

“This agreement must mark the end of the war and the beginning of a political solution based on the two-state solution,” he wrote on X.

“France stands ready to contribute to this goal. We will discuss it this afternoon in Paris with our international partners.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Starmer urged that the agreement on the first stage of Trump’s plan for Gaza must be implemented in full without delay.

“I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. This agreement must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza,” he said in a statement.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Modi welcomed the first phase agreement, calling it a step towards lasting peace in the region.

“We welcome the agreement on the first phase of President Trump’s peace plan. This is also a reflection of the strong leadership of PM Netanyahu,” Modi said in a post on X.

“We hope the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring respite to them and pave the way for lasting peace.”

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof

The premier said on X: “This could potentially end the suffering of so many: the hostages and their families, and the population of Gaza.”

He emphasised the need for the rapid implementation of the agreement to ensure the release of all captives and a significant increase in humanitarian aid for Gaza.

“And this agreement must be a step toward sustainable and just peace,” Schoof added.

He thanked Trump for his ceasefire plan and acknowledged the efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye in facilitating the agreement.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters

“Hamas needs to release all of the hostages, and Israel must withdraw their troops to the agreed-upon line,” Peters said in a statement.

“This is an essential first step towards achieving lasting peace. We urge Israel and Hamas to continue working towards a complete resolution.”