An agreement to cease hostilities and release all hostages was signed by Israel and Hamas on October 9, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in the conflict.
The deal specifies that the release of hostages is to begin on October 13, 2025, with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) collecting them.
In exchange, Israel agreed to release about 250 Palestinian prisoners who were serving life sentences in Israeli jails, along with another 1,722 detainees from Gaza, which includes 22 minors. These handovers are stipulated to take place without public ceremonies or media coverage.
On the military front, the agreement mandates that the Israeli military must withdraw to a specific line, leaving Hamas in control of 53% of Gaza.
The deal also includes the deployment of a multinational force of around 200 troops, overseen by the US military, to monitor the ceasefire.
At the time of the agreement, Hamas was reported to be holding at least 48 hostages, with 20 of them confirmed to be alive. The war that necessitated this peace process was initially triggered by Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. This first phase of the Gaza peace plan was presented by US President Donald Trump as part of a 20-point proposal.
