LONDON – World leaders issued a flurry of statements on Thursday praising Israel and Hamas for agreeing to the first phase of a ceasefire deal, with many also praising US President Donald Trump for his administration’s role in brokering the deal.
“I welcome the news that an agreement has been reached on the first stage of President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza,” said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. saying in a statement. “This is a moment of profound relief that will be felt around the world, but particularly for the hostages, their families and the civilian population of Gaza, who have endured unimaginable suffering over the past two years.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UN Secretary General António Guterres issued statements with phraseology closely pareo From Starmer. Each praised Trump and then included a call for Israel and Hamas to respect the terms of the agreement.
Those statements and many others like them followed Trump’s announcement Wednesday night that the warring parties had “approved” the first phase of a ceasefire plan.
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a note given to him by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a roundtable discussion at the White House in Washington, DC, United States, on October 8, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
“This means that ALL hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw its troops to an agreed line as the first steps towards a strong, lasting and eternal peace. All parties will be treated fairly!” Trump said in a statement posted on social media.
The full details of that deal were still emerging Thursday, but the general outline included a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release by Hamas of the remaining hostages, according to Trump. A still unknown number of Palestinian prisoners are also expected to be released from Israeli jails. The release of almost 2,000 prisoners is believed to be under discussion.
Israeli officials were preparing Thursday to ratify the agreement. Details of the agreed deal had not been made public as of Thursday morning.
White House special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were in Egypt on Wednesday for final negotiations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Washington, where he interrupted a White House roundtable to notify Trump that a deal was close.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio updates US President Donald Trump on the Gaza proposal at the White House in Washington, DC, United States, on October 8, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
The administration’s efforts drew applause from Trump’s allies in Washington, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who in a statement hailed it as “a truly historic achievement”, as well as by leaders and aid organizations further afield.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated in a statement In a social media post he wanted to thank “everyone involved in this vital effort.”
“I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to President Donald Trump for his incredible leadership in securing the release of the hostages, ending the war and creating hope for a new reality in the Middle East,” Herzog said. “There is no doubt that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this. If he visits us in the coming days, he will be received with immense respect, affection and gratitude by the people of Israel.”
Praise for the deal also came from the Palestinian Authority, which ruled the Gaza Strip until a violent 2007 takeover by Hamas, the terrorist organization that at the time executed or expelled many of the Authority’s civilian leaders. The Authority, which currently controls civilian operations in parts of the West Bank, said in a statement that President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the agreement, calling it a “prelude to reaching a permanent political solution.”
“He also praised President Trump and all the mediators for their important efforts to reach the agreement, affirming the willingness of the State of Palestine to work with relevant mediators and international partners to ensure its success, in order to achieve stability and a just and lasting peace in accordance with international law,” the Authority’s statement said.
A plume of smoke rises following Israeli bombing in the Gaza Strip, as seen from across the border in southern Israel on October 9, 2025.
Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images
The UN’s Guterres said on social networks He welcomed the agreement and praised the “diplomatic efforts” of the United States and others who advanced the agreement, including Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye. He called it a “desperately needed breakthrough.”
“The UN will support the full implementation of the agreement & will expand the provision of sustained services & principled humanitarian aid and we will advance recovery & reconstruction efforts in Gaza,” Guterres added.
European Council President Antonio Costa said the agreement amounted to a “foundation for a lasting peace, based on a two-state solution.”
“Its implementation paves the way for the long-awaited release of all Israeli hostages, a ceasefire in Gaza and the end of the serious humanitarian crisis on the ground,” Costa said. saying on Thursday.
The local patriarchate of the Catholic Church also issued a statement praising the agreement and saying it “appreciates the joy” of the announcement.
“It is good news and we are very happy. It is a first step, the first phase. Of course, there are many others, and surely there will be other obstacles,” he said in a statement.
He added: “But now we have to rejoice at this important step that will bring a little more confidence for the future and also new hope, especially for the people, both Israeli and Palestinian.”
