Two Years of Conflict Near End as Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal Gains Approval

Tel Aviv/ Gaza, Oct 2025 : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Friday that the government had officially “approved the framework” of a landmark hostage release deal with Hamas, bringing both sides closer to ending more than two years of hostilities in Gaza.

Earlier, Israel had confirmed that “all parties” had signed the first phase of a ceasefire agreement, with officials stating that Hamas’s release of captives would “bring the end to this war.” The accord, brokered in Egypt, follows a 20-point peace plan for Gaza unveiled last month by US President Donald Trump, who is expected to travel to the Middle East this weekend to oversee the process.

Egypt plans to host an event celebrating the conclusion of the deal, with Trump anticipated to visit Israel and possibly Gaza, which has been devastated by years of conflict. According to the Israeli government, the ceasefire is to take effect within 24 hours of Thursday’s approval meeting, and Israeli forces are expected to eventually withdraw from Gaza under the terms of the agreement.

In a statement released early Friday, Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the government had “approved the framework for the release of all the hostages — both the living and the deceased.” The Israeli Prime Minister had faced opposition from far-right allies, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir threatening to vote against the plan, calling the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 47 remaining hostages “an unbearable heavy price.”

Despite celebrations in Israel and Gaza and widespread commendation from world leaders, several key issues remain unresolved, including Hamas’s disarmament and a proposed transitional authority for Gaza led by Trump himself. Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan rejected the idea of a transitional administration, stating, “No Palestinian would accept this. All the factions, including the Palestinian Authority, reject this.” Trump said disarmament would be addressed in the second phase of the peace plan, alongside Israeli force pullbacks.

US officials announced that a 200-member military team, led by US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper, will be deployed in the Middle East to “oversee” the truce. The team will include Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish, and potentially Emirati military officials. One official emphasized that “no US troops are intended to go into Gaza.”

Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian confirmed that the first-phase draft was signed by all parties on Thursday and that all hostages — living and deceased — would be released within 72 hours, bringing the timeline to Monday. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the agreement as a decisive step toward ending the conflict, saying, “The release of the hostages should bring the end to this war.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the deal “a historic moment,” telling Israel’s Channel 12 network: “Today, we are very happy that the bloodshed has ceased. We hope it remains this way and that peace, security, and stability will prevail between us and Israel.”

US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner traveled to Jerusalem Thursday night to meet Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, participating in government deliberations approving the plan.

The deal, hammered out in indirect, closed-door talks in Sharm El-Sheikh, also includes a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where the UN has declared famine. The announcement sparked celebrations in Gaza, despite widespread destruction, and in Israel, thousands gathered in Tel Aviv waving Israeli and US flags, some holding photos of hostages still in Gaza.

Hamas has submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners for release in the first phase, including 250 sentenced to life imprisonment and 1,700 others arrested by Israel since the conflict began.

As the agreement moves forward, international attention is focused on ensuring the safe release of hostages, the delivery of aid to Gaza, and the maintenance of a lasting ceasefire that could finally bring stability to a region scarred by more than two years of war.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)