Israeli cabinet formally approves start of first phase of ceasefire with Hamas, which includes withdrawal and hostage release

Israel's cabinet approved the first phase of the cease-fire agreement with Hamas, which provides for the release of hostages remaining in Gaza and the beginning of the withdrawal of Israeli forces inside the enclave. The Israeli government's decision marks a turning point after two years of conflict and was presented by President Donald Trump as a decisive step towards peace and stability in the Middle East.

The plan, brokered by the Trump administration and backed by the Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish governments, provides for an immediate pause in shelling and fighting in the Gaza Strip, the progressive release of hostages, and the partial withdrawal of the Israeli Army to a demarcated line between the parties. It also provides for the entry of humanitarian aid and the start of talks on an interim government to administer the enclave under international supervision.

According to The Wall Street Journal, senior U.S. and Arab officials involved in the talks confirmed under anonymity that the Trump administration pressed both sides to accept a compromise that envisions an Israeli withdrawal of up to 70% of Gaza in exchange for the return of some 20 live hostages and the bodies of 28 others. The newspaper notes that President Trump will send his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and special envoy Steve Witkoff to oversee the initial implementation of the agreement.

While some media reported that U.S. troops will be on the ground to ensure peace, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt specified that "To be clear: up to 200 U.S. personnel, who are already stationed at CENTCOM, will be tasked with monitoring the peace agreement in Israel, and they will work with other international forces on the ground."

Those U.S. troops are part of an observer mission headed by U.S. Central Command, which will coordinate with Arab countries on stabilization and humanitarian assistance.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the decision before a divided cabinet, describing it as "a moral and national victory" and stressing that "the return of every hostage is a duty of the state." The vote came after a tense meeting in which skeptical ministers and more radical nationalists expressed their rejection of the military withdrawal and any negotiations with Hamas.

According to The Times of Israel, in the end, most Israeli cabinet ministers voted in favor of the deal, "including Minister Ofir Sofer of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party, all of whose other ministers opposed the deal."

Also voting against the agreement were "all members of the ultranationalist Otzma Yehudit party," reported the Israeli media.

In Israel, news of the historic peace deal sparked spontaneous celebrations in Tel Aviv, where thousands of people gathered in Hostages Square - a symbol of the civilian campaign for their release - to sing, wave flags and embrace.

"Finally, we can breathe," Merav Geva Grumer, an actress whose husband has been serving in Gaza since 2023, told the WSJ.

In Gaza, by contrast, the streets remain relatively silent, marked by war weariness and devastation. However, many Palestinians, local media recounted, followed the Israeli vote on their phones in the hope that the cease-fire would end months of hunger, displacement and violence. In some videos on social media, Strip residents could be seen smiling at the cameras, saying, "I love you Trump."

Although the agreement represents the first significant pause since March, diplomats warn that the peace and transition process is just beginning. Mediators will still need to define the exact lines of Israeli withdrawal and ceasefire verification mechanisms before moving on to the next phases of Trump's peace plan, which includes disarming Hamas and rebuilding the Strip under international supervision.