Celebrations Sweep Israel and Gaza as First Phase of Trump’s Peace Plan Secured

Celebrations have erupted across Israel and Gaza, as the region welcomes the agreement to the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Israel and the Hamas terrorist group.

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt regarding Trump’s 20-point peace plan resulted in an agreement on Oct. 8. The first phase of the deal includes the release of the remaining Israeli hostages within days in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

A cease-fire is expected to follow once Israel ratifies the agreement on Oct. 9.

News of the deal sparked jubilation on both sides. In Gaza, Palestinians poured into the streets of Khan Yunis, singing, dancing, and clapping in celebration. In Israel, families of hostages expressed gratitude to Trump for his role in brokering the agreement.

On the evening of Oct. 8, the families of several hostages joined U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a phone call with Trump.

A video shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum on X captured one family member saying: “Since you became a president, even before that, we trust you will fulfill the mission until [all] 48 of the hostages are home. Thank you so much. Blessed be the peacemakers.”

Lutnick also thanked Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, who is Trump’s son-in-law and a former Middle East envoy, for their efforts.

Rebecca Bohbot, the wife of hostage Elkana Bohbot, shared her gratitude in a message on X.

“I have no words left—only tears of joy. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for bringing them all home soon,” she said. “Thank you for making this happen. I am praying for the safe return of all the hostages, including Elkana. We love you, President Trump.”

Large crowds also gathered at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Oct. 9 to celebrate the agreement. In Jerusalem, Israelis expressed gratitude to both U.S. and Israeli leaders.

“So happy to hear the hostages are coming back,” one resident told Reuters. “Thank you, Trump. Thank you, Netanyahu.”

Some in the crowd were chanting that Trump should receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who put forward Trump’s name in July, said on Oct. 9 that Trump was deserving of the prize. The call comes just a day ahead of the announcement of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents relatives of most of the Israeli hostages, invited the public to join them in solidarity, writing, “It’s not over until everyone comes home.”

Speaking from the square, Rotem Cooper—the son of Amiram Cooper, who was kidnapped from the Nir Oz kibbutz on Oct. 7, 2023, and later murdered in captivity—said in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle: “We’re like soldiers who went through a battle. There is no sense of relief, not yet. There would be a sense of relief when we see live hostages coming back.”

A recent poll by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute found that 66 percent of Israelis believe the time has come to end the war in Gaza. Those numbers reflect an increase of 13 percentage points from the same period last year.

The leading reason cited for ending the conflict was concern for the safety of hostages, mentioned by 50.5 percent of Jewish respondents and 34.5 percent of Arab respondents. The poll surveyed 800 respondents in Hebrew and 200 in Arabic, constituting a representative sample of the Israeli population older than 18.

World Reactions

Celebrations across Israel and Gaza come as world leaders also expressed gratitude to Trump for leading the peace efforts.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Oct. 9 commended the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey in brokering what he described as a “desperately needed breakthrough.”

“For Israelis and Palestinians alike, this deal offers a glimmer of relief, and that glimmer must become the dawn of peace, the beginning of the end of this devastating war,” he said.

Leaders from across Europe and the Middle East welcomed the deal and urged its implementation.

Netanyahu’s office said on Oct. 9 that the Israeli Security Cabinet will meet at 5 p.m. local time, followed by a government meeting at 6 p.m.

The war in Gaza has raged since Oct. 7, 2023, when terrorist groups led by Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing more than 250 hostages. Today, an estimated 20 hostages are still believed to be alive in captivity.

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. The Epoch Times regrets the error.