U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release under his plan for ending the two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave.
'This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations' © Mena Today
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release under his plan for ending the two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave.
Following are reactions from leaders to the development:
AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE
"Australia welcomes President Trump’s announcement that Israel and Hamas have signed off the first phase of the plan to bring peace to Gaza," Albanese said in a joint statement with Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
"After more than two years of conflict, hostages held and a devastating loss of civilian life, this is a much-needed step towards peace. Australia has consistently been part of international calls for a ceasefire, return of the hostages, and the unimpeded flow of aid to Gaza. We urge all parties to respect the terms of the plan.
"Australia strongly supports the plan’s commitment to denying Hamas any role in the future governance of Gaza. There is a very long road to recovery in Gaza, securing long-term peace and building the Palestinian state. Together with our partners, Australia will continue to do what we can to contribute to a just and enduring two-state solution."
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER
"I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza," Starmer said in a statement.
"This is a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world, but particularly for the hostages, their families, and for the civilian population of Gaza, who have all endured unimaginable suffering over the last two years.
"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.
"We call on all parties to meet the commitments they have made, to end the war, and to build the foundations for a just and lasting end to the conflict and a sustainable path to a long-term peace.
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA'S GLOBAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
"Canada welcomes the agreement of Israel and Hamas to implement the first phase of the peace plan put forward by President Trump, and facilitated by Qatar, Egypt and Turkey," Global Affairs Canada, which manages the country's diplomatic and consular relations, said on X.
"After two long years, hostages will finally be reunited with their families - and that Israeli troops will withdraw to behind agreed upon lines. Immediate and unimpeded humanitarian aid must be provided to the many people in dire need across Gaza.
"Canada will support all efforts to turn this positive step into lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians."
U.S. 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.
"This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.
"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!"
ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU
"A big day for Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement.
"Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home. I thank the heroic IDF soldiers and all the security forces — thanks to their courage and sacrifice, we have reached this day.
"I thank from the bottom of my heart President 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 neighbors."
THE ISLAMIC RESISTANCE MOVEMENT (HAMAS)
"We highly appreciate the efforts of our brothers and mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, and we also value the efforts of U.S. 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 honor, 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."
U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES
"I welcome the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, based on the proposal put forward by President Donald J. Trump. I commend the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in brokering this desperately needed breakthrough," Guterres said in a statement.
"I urge all concerned to abide fully by the terms of the agreement. All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The fighting must stop once and for all. Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza must be ensured. The suffering must end.
"The United Nations will support the full implementation of the agreement and will scale up the delivery of sustained and principled humanitarian relief, and we will advance recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
"I urge all stakeholders to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.
"The stakes have never been higher."
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."
Compiled by Lincoln Feast
Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, a ceasefire and hostage deal that could be a first step toward ending a two-year-old war that has roiled the Middle East.
The recent agreement between Israel and Hamas on the release of hostages and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough — and an early victory for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Israeli hostages may be released as early as Saturday under a U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza and the country's military will complete the first part of a partial withdrawal from the enclave within 24 hours of the deal being signed, said a source briefed on details of the agreement.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.