November 7, 2025
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — World leaders on Thursday expressed hope for peace and urged Israel and Hamas to fulfill their commitments in the hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the parties had agreed to the “first phase” of a deal signaling a major breakthrough in the two-year war in Gaza.
Hamas will release all 20 living hostages in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.
“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,” Trump wrote on social media.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media: “With God’s help we will bring them all home.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country played a role in the negotiations, on Thursday hailed the agreement. In a statement posted on X, Erdogan thanked Trump for “demonstrating the necessary political will” as well as Qatar and Egypt for facilitating the deal.
Erdogan said Turkey would closely monitor the full implementation of the agreement and continue to contribute to the process.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi hailed the deal between Israel and Hamas as a “historic moment.”
“This agreement does not only close the chapter of war; it also opens the door of hope for the peoples of the region for a future defined by justice and stability,” el-Sissi wrote on social media.
“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,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement.
The U.N. chief urged all parties “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.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said the agreement is a “great hope for the hostages and their families, for the Palestinians in Gaza, and for the entire region.” In a message posted on X, Macron commended “the efforts of President @realDonaldTrump, as well as the Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators who helped make it happen,” and called on the warring parties “to strictly uphold” the terms of the deal.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed news of the agreement and urged an immediate lifting of restrictions on aid. Speaking while on a trade mission to India, Starmer praised the “tireless diplomatic efforts” of the U.S., as well as Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey in bringing about the deal. The U.K. will support efforts to turn the ceasefire into a “sustainable path” to long-term peace, he said.
“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,” he said.
Saudi Arabia welcomed the possible start of a ceasefire, with the foreign ministry expressing “its hope that this important step will lead to urgent action to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, a complete Israeli withdrawal, the restoration of security and stability and the initiation of practical steps to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.”
Jordan's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, praised the efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States and thanked Turkey for its role in the deal. Safadi stressed the need for aid to enter Gaza and said Jordan was ready to resume aid deliveries.
Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni hailed the agreement, calling it “extraordinary news.”
“This agreement and the broader path outlined by the Trump plan constitute a unique opportunity to end this conflict that must be seized,” Meloni said. “Therefore, I urge all parties to fully respect the measures already agreed upon and to work to swiftly implement the next steps envisaged in the peace plan.”
Meloni said Italy will continue to support the mediators’ efforts, standing “ready to contribute to the stabilization, reconstruction, and development of Gaza.”
“I want to take the opportunity to say that I will sign the candidacy of Donald J. Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to international peace,” Argentine President Javier Milei posted on X. “Any other leader with similar achievements would have received it a long time ago,” he wrote.
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