On October 8th, 2025, Israel and Hamas negotiators met in Egypt and agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire agreement. This monumental task was achieved not through direct discussion between parties, but through intermediaries from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, as well as American businessman and son-in-law of President Trump, Jared Kushner, and the United States’ Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff. The first phase hopes to achieve two main goals: the release of all hostages in Gaza and the IDF withdrawing “to an agreed upon line.” This line has not yet been announced. Hamas confirmed their agreement to the first phase, stating that the deal happened due to "responsible and serious negotiations between the movement and the Palestinian resistance factions." Islamic Jihad also appears to support this deal, even asserting that this deal is not capitulation to Israel. The Israeli Knesset voted to approve this deal on October 9th. While this news carries a hesitant hopefulness of an end to the nightmare of the Gazans and the hostages, worry and fear of what comes next for the region pervade the minds of all concerned parties.
Palestinians in Gaza celebrate, as this has been the most promising news since Israel began a relentless bombing campaign two years ago that has received insurmountable international condemnation. Families of the hostages, who have spent the past two years pleading and protesting for Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire, are also celebrating.
However, NBC News recounts that “Three explosions were seen in central Gaza after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a plan brokered by President Trump to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners. Questions of Israel’s commitment to ceasing their strikes ring in the ears of Gaza and its supporters, as Israel has violated past ceasefire agreements before.
In Gaza, relief is tempered with understandable skepticism. Nasser al-Qernawi, a 62 year-old man in Gaza who is surviving what the UN Special Comittee to investigate Israel calls a “genocide” against him says, “Yesterday the news was tough in the morning. But now, it’s better; I feel it’s closer, but [Netanyhu] didn’t say the word ‘peace.’ The others said the word ‘peace,, but he didn’t.” Anxiety over what Israel will do next, and whether they will actually adhere to the ceasefire, weighs on the minds of Gazans receiving news of the deal.
Families of the hostages have expressed anger at Netanyahu’s government for squandering potential hostage deals that could have secured a sooner release. Rotem Cooper, whose father died in Hamas captivity, adamantly believes that "[The deal] didn't happen because of something the Israeli government did or the prime minister. It happened despite what the prime minister did." Consequences for Netanyahu’s failure to return the hostages sooner and his government's multiple international law violations may come back to bite him as Israeli society and the global community demand accountability for what he has put them through.
As of October 15th, Hamas has returned all twenty of the living hostages. Only four out of the twenty-eight deceased hostages' remains have been returned, as Hamas cites problems finding remains that have been trapped under bombed buildings.
A ceasefire will not fix the core problems in Palestine/Israel. In fact, it will likely lead to revelations about new ones. Netanyahu’s actions have isolated Israel internationally. Gaza’s infrastructure has been annihilated, and Gazans are injured and traumatized. There is no clear path towards rebuilding or a new governance in either Gaza or Israel; only a faint hope.