Timeline for 1st phase of ceasefire in Gaza revealed

CAIRO – 9 October 2025: Israeli media revealed on Thursday the timeline for the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, indicating that the agreement will be signed in Sharm el-Sheikh at 12:00 PM.

Israeli media reported that the head of the delegation, Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, will return to Tel Aviv to attend a meeting of the Security Cabinet and brief the attendees on the details of the agreement and its ratification. Dermer confirmed that the Israeli government will meet at 4:00 PM to also ratify the agreement.

What is the timeline?

Israeli media reported that within 24 hours of the signing, the Israeli army will withdraw from a number of areas (known as the Yellow Line) from Khan Yunis in the south to Beit Lahia in the north.

It was also explained that within 72 hours of the signing, the living Israeli prisoners will be released all at once and without any ceremony, while the bodies will be returned gradually.

The occupation media noted that in exchange for the handover of the Israeli prisoners, approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 with long sentences and life sentences, would be released, along with prisoners from the Gaza Strip.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is ‘very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of Gaza Peace Plan.’

“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 Truth Social.

He added that 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.”

Trump thanked the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with the US to make ‘this historic and unprecedented event happen.’

Many world leaders have welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, describing it as a first step toward ending the cycle of violence and opening a new path toward calm and stability in the region.

The leaders praised international diplomatic efforts that helped secure the deal, offering support to ensure its success and stressing the importance of its immediate and full implementation.

Israel and Hamas have confirmed their agreement to a long-awaited ceasefire and prisoner exchange, marking the first phase of Trump’s plan to end the war that has killed over 67,000 people.

Hamas and Israel are expected to sign the deal at 12 PM, a source briefed on the details of the agreement told Reuters on Thursday.

The ceasefire in Gaza will take effect once the agreement is signed, the source added.

After the announcement, Gaza residents took to the streets, celebrating the ceasefire and end of the war that lasted for two years.