A ceasefire in Gaza, following two years of devastating war, officially began on October 10, 2025, after Israel’s overnight approval of President Donald Trump’s peace plan. The agreement aims to halt bloodshed, secure the release of remaining hostages, and establish a new path forward for the region. At noon local time (10am BST), guns fell silent as Israeli troops began withdrawing to new defensive lines. This immediate effect allowed thousands of displaced Palestinians to commence their journey back to Gaza City, walking through bombed-out landscapes towards the ruins of their homes.

This truce represents the most dramatic step yet in efforts to end a conflict that has ravaged Gaza and destabilized the Middle East. President Trump's peace plan outlines a transitional committee of Palestinians and international experts to govern the territory, overseen by a new Board of Peace chaired by Donald Trump himself. Under this framework, Hamas and other militant groups would be banned from any governmental role, and all their weapons, tunnels, and military infrastructure would be dismantled under independent supervision. Furthermore, an international stabilization force would be established to train vetted Palestinian police and assist in securing Gaza’s borders alongside Egypt and Jordan.

Despite the official start of the ceasefire, its implementation faces significant challenges and skepticism. The deal leaves a power vacuum, raising urgent questions about who will effectively govern Gaza once the fighting truly stops. Hamas has already vowed to keep its weapons, directly conflicting with Israel's insistence on full demilitarization. Israeli Prime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a defiant tone, warning that Hamas must still meet Israel’s demands for disarmament and security guarantees, stating that if not achieved 'the easy way,' it would be done 'the hard way.' He also dismissed claims that a similar deal had been on the table for a year, asserting that Hamas had never previously agreed to release all Israeli hostages while Israel remained deep inside the Strip.

Adding to the complexity, Gaza residents reported intensified shelling well into Friday morning, hours after Israel's Cabinet approved the ceasefire plan. Residents like Mahmoud Sharkawy in Nuseirat refugee camp and Heba Garoun in Gaza City described ongoing artillery shelling and low-flying military aircraft, leading to confusion and distress despite news of the ceasefire.

From Hamas's perspective, senior official and lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya laid out what he described as core elements of the ceasefire deal. These include Israel releasing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners (including all women and children held in Israeli jails), opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow, and a full Israeli forces withdrawal. Al-Hayya stated that the Trump administration and mediators had given assurances that the war is over, with Hamas and other Palestinian factions now focusing on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.

Internationally, U.S. officials announced they would send about 200 troops to Israel to support and monitor the ceasefire deal, as part of a broader international team. These troops would coordinate and assist in humanitarian aid delivery and the international peacekeeping force, though no American 'boots will hit the ground' in the Strip itself. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also emphasized its role, stating that all releases of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners must be carried out 'safely and with dignity.' ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric hailed the plan, which calls for the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the 47 hostages remaining in Gaza, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead. She urged parties to hold to their commitments, noting that ICRC teams would support implementation by helping return hostages and detainees to their families, and even human remains. The ICRC has facilitated the release of 148 hostages and 1,931 detainees since October 2023. Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Berosian stressed that Israel expects the handover of its hostages to be conducted with respect and decorum, with 'no tolerance for hostages being paraded around' as in the past.

As the ceasefire commenced on October 10, 2025, a human tide of Palestinians flooded back to their homes through the razed Strip. In scenes that drew concern, armed guards from Hamas were seen above ground patrolling the ruined streets. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) completed their partial withdrawal as agreed, with the IDF still controlling 53 percent of Gaza. The agreement also set a 72-hour timer for the return of 48 Israeli hostages, including 20 believed to still be alive, expected by Sunday in time for President Trump's anticipated arrival on Monday for a historic speech at the Knesset in Jerusalem and a summit on Gaza in Egypt with world leaders. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, an architect of the peace plan, visited the Western Wall, expressing hope for 'peace and lots of lives saved.'

The emotional toll of the conflict was evident, with IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin breaking down while describing it as an emotional moment for Israel and its soldiers. He also noted the immense human cost: some 1,000 Israeli soldiers have died, and over 60,000 Palestinians—both civilians and terrorists—have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The inclusion of Britain’s former prime minister Sir Tony Blair in the proposed Board of Peace has drawn criticism from Palestinians due to his past involvement in the Iraq War. Israel’s Chargé D’affaires to the UK, Daniela Grudsky Ekstein, emphasized the importance of international pressure on Hamas to decommission their weapons and demilitarize fully after the hostages are released, urging countries like Qatar, Egypt, and the UK to help ensure compliance with the agreement.