The announcement of a multi-phase ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas is widely welcomed by global leaders, including the U.N., who are now focused on making it work.
The deal, which represents the most significant diplomatic step in the two-year war, is predicated on the "first phase" of a peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump that calls for the imminent release of all remaining hostages and a withdrawal of Israeli troops.
"We have all waited far too long for this moment," U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters on Thursday, commending the diplomatic efforts of the U.S., Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in brokering the breakthrough. "I urge all parties to fully abide by the terms of the agreement – and to fully embrace the opportunities it presents."
The U.N. is ready to help make it work but "to turn this ceasefire into real progress we need more than the silencing of the guns," he said, listing unfettered aid access into Gaza, rebuilding of critical infrastructure, and financing among the necessary ingredients.
The agreement's initial structure is designed around a direct exchange: Hamas is expected to release all 20 living Israeli hostages in the coming days for Palestinian prisoners.
In a corresponding military component, the Israeli Defense Forces will begin a withdrawal from the majority of the Gaza Strip to an agreed-upon line. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to convene the Israeli cabinet to approve the terms, while Hamas confirmed the deal's provisions for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the entry of aid.
Geopolitical consensus and risks
The agreement has garnered rare geopolitical consensus, with major blocs and regional nations emphasizing the need for a transition toward a lasting political solution and immediate help for hungry, displaced Palestinians.
The European Union called on all parties to uphold the terms. French President Emmanuel Macron asserted the deal must mark the end of the war and the beginning of a political path based on the two-nation solution framework. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged the agreement's full implementation and the immediate lifting of all restrictions on aid.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi hailed the moment as a close to the "chapter of war." Saudi Arabia expressed hope that the plan would lead to an eventual complete Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of an independent Palestinian nation on the 1967 borders.
China also welcomed the progress, reiterating its call for a lasting and comprehensive ceasefire supported by a two-nation framework.
Despite the breakthrough, the stability of the long-term process remains precarious. The agreement intentionally defers the most critical and sensitive issues — including the postwar governance of Gaza and whether Hamas will lay down its weapons — to future negotiation phases.
The U.N. pledged to scale up humanitarian relief efforts and advance recovery and reconstruction in the enclave.
Guterres also put the ceasefire deal within the context of a broader, long-term political imperative, urging all sides "to establish a credible political path forward" to a two-nation solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live peacefully.
"This breakthrough shows us the power and potential of diplomacy," he said. "Let it be a reminder that the solutions to conflicts are not found on the battlefield. They must be forged at the negotiating table. And then, crucially, they must be fully implemented. The world is watching."
This story has been updated with additional details.
