What's in the deal and when will the hostages be released?

October 10, 2025

What's in the deal and when will the hostages be released?

Israeli troops have begun withdrawing from parts of Gaza, after the Israeli government approved the first phase of US President Donald Trump's ceasefire and hostage return deal.

Under the agreement, first unveiled by Trump last week and signed following days of intense negotiations in Egypt, Israel now has 24 hours to withdraw to an agreed line within the Palestinian territory.

Hamas will then have 72 hours to release all remaining Israeli hostages being held captive in Gaza, while Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

It comes just over two years after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage.

This triggered a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 67,100 people, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Its figures are seen as accurate by the UN and other international bodies.

This is what we know.

Now the agreement has been formally approved by the Israeli cabinet, a ceasefire is meant to be in effect - though reports overnight suggest Israeli air strikes continued in some areas.

Israeli ground forces have begun their withdrawal to an agreed line which, according to a spokesperson for the prime minister's office, would leave it in control of 53% of Gaza. A map distributed by the White House last week indicates this will be the first of three stages of Israeli withdrawal.