What does wording of Gaza ceasefire agreement tell us?

October 10, 2025

What does wording of Gaza ceasefire agreement tell us?

A ceasefire has come into effect for the war in Gaza, after the Israeli government approved a US-brokered deal with Hamas in negotiations that had the personal involvement of US President Donald Trump.

The full text of the agreement has not been made public - but part of it has been published by Israeli media.

It appears to lack details and in some cases is vague and ambiguous - perhaps on purpose.

Even its title, "Implementation steps for President Trump's proposal for a comprehensive end of Gaza War", leaves room for different interpretations.

The full title suggests these are steps for the implementation of the 20-point plan that President Trump announced at the White House last week. The document was agreed after negotiations in Egypt over the first phase of the plan, related to a ceasefire, a hostage and prisoner exchange, and a surge in humanitarian aid.

However, by highlighting "Comprehensive end of Gaza war", the document appears to be announcing the end of the two-year-old war.

This paragraph explicitly says the war is over, which sets the scene for future discussions on later stages of the president's plan for Gaza. It appears to suggest that, even if the negotiations reach an impasse, hostilities will not resume.

This is crucial as key sticking points remain, including the Israeli demand for Hamas to disarm, the scale of the Israeli withdrawal, and a plan for who will govern the territory. The document does not mention guarantees that could have been given that the conflict will not restart, or what could happen if either side returns to fighting.