Summary

  • Thousands of Palestinians have begun returning to Gaza's north, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanks Donald Trump for securing a ceasefire

  • Those returning to Gaza City say they are driven by desperation rather than confidence that it is safe, with many already told their homes no longer exist, writes Rushdi Abualouf

  • It comes as forces have pulled back to the lines agreed under Trump's plan, the IDF says, but will continue to "remove any immediate threat

  • Hamas has until 12:00 local time (10:00 BST) on Monday to release all Israeli hostages, while Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian detainees - here's what's meant to happen next

  • Israel has published a list of 250 Palestinian prisoners it will release in exchange for the hostages but the BBC understands Hamas is pushing for more to be freed

  • It comes after the Israeli government approved the first phase of Trump's ceasefire and hostage return deal

  1. Politicians are cautiously optimistic about the dealpublished at 01:45 BST 9 October

    The world is starting to react to the news of an initial ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.

    Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, tells CNN that Trump's Truth Social post announcing the deal is "encouraging", adding: "I hope that it holds."

    Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat and outspoken supporter of Israel, says, "Those poor souls finally have a chance to maybe go home, and that's the first opportunity for enduring peace" according to CBS News, BBC's US partner.

    Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut tells CNN that "the initial reports are hopeful".

    And on the other side of the aisle, Republican Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota says he's cautiously optimistic about the deal, adding "we'll see how it actually gets implemented", CBS News reports.

    Meanwhile, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed organisation whose stated mission is to deliver aid to Gaza, shares a statement Wednesday calling the deal "welcome news".

    "We are hopeful that this will create conditions on the ground that enable the needs of all Gazans to be met," the GHF says.

  2. UN Secretary General urges parties to abide by the dealpublished at 01:33 BST 9 October

    image of Guterres standing at podium speakingImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking at the UN General Assembly in September

    United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, says the UN will support the "full implementation" of the deal as well as increase its delivery of humanitarian aid and advance its reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

    Guterres also urges all parties to obey the terms of the deal including releasing Israeli hostages, abiding by a permanent ceasefire, and immediately allowing humanitarian supplies into Gaza.

    "The suffering must end," Guterres says.

    "I urge all stakeholders to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognising the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, leading to a two-state solution to enable Israelis & Palestinians to live in peace & security."

  3. In pictures: Gaza peace plan talks in Egyptpublished at 01:29 BST 9 October

    We've received images from the third day of negotiations over the peace deal from our Gaza correspondent, Rushdi Abualouf.

    They show members of the Qatari, Egyptian, Israeli and Palestinian envoys at an undisclosed location in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt earlier.

    Israeli and Qatari officials sit and stand around long conference tables during Israel-Gaza peace talks
    Two men embrace with other men smiling while standing behind them in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
    Several men from the Gaza peace talks sile and shake hands in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
    Three men in suits sit a table that has a small Turkish flag on it.Image source, Rushdi Abualouf / BBC News
    Palestinian and Qatari officials walk together inside a venue in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
    Four men in suits representing the Palestine envoy are seated behind a long table during Gaza peace talks in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
    Image caption,

    The Palestinian envoy

  4. Analysis

    A major victory for Trump - for nowpublished at 01:21 BST 9 October

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    Since returning here to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly said that peace between Israel and Hamas is around the corner.

    Month after month, that peace eluded him. Gaza, along with Ukraine, continued to be a thorn in his side, even when he proudly claimed to have ended wars around the world, from Thailand to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    If the deal that Trump posted about earlier holds, and the fighting stops, the administration will almost certainly point to this as the crowning foreign policy achievement of his second term so far - perhaps even more than the airstrikes which they say ended Iran's nuclear programme.

    We still don't have many contours of the deal so far, other than that the hostages will be released and Israel will pull troops back to an "agreed upon line".

    This announcement has become, by far, the biggest news story in Washington, and in the next hours and days we are likely to hear more details from Trump and his team.

  5. Ceasefire to take effect once approved by Israeli governmentpublished at 01:13 BST 9 October

    Rushdi Abualouf
    Gaza correspondent

    A senior Palestinian official told the BBC that the ceasefire will go into effect immediately after approval by the Israeli government around 14:00 Jerusalem time (12:00 BST), adding that Israel will allow 400 aid trucks to enter Gaza daily during the first five days, with the number to increase gradually in later stages.

    The official said the “yellow line” on the Trump plan map has been adjusted to reflect Israel’s security requirements and Hamas’s need to secure the release of Israeli hostages.

    He added that Israel rejected the inclusion of senior Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti in the exchange deal, despite Hamas’s insistence on his release.

  6. What happens next?published at 01:02 BST 9 October

    We can now bring you more details on how the implementation of this ceasefire deal might unfold.

    According to a senior White House official speaking to the BBC's US partner, CBS news, the deal goes to the Israeli cabinet on Thursday.

    If they formally approve the deal, Israel must then withdraw its troops from Gaza to the agreed-upon line, which the official says will likely take less than 24 hours.

    Hostages held by Hamas will likely begin being released from Gaza on Monday, the senior White House official explains.

  7. Trump and Netanyahu held 'moving and warm conversation'published at 00:57 BST 9 October

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just spoken by phone with Trump, according to a new statement from his office.

    "The two held a very moving and warm conversation, and congratulated each other on the historic achievement of signing the agreement to release all the hostages," Netanyahu's office says.

    The Israeli leader has also thanked Trump "all his efforts and his global leadership", while Trump in turn has thanked Netanyahu "for his determined leadership and the actions he led".

    "The two agreed to continue their close co-operation," the statement says, adding that Trump has now been invited to speak to the Israeli parliament.

  8. 'For these tears, I prayed': Relatives of hostages react to peace plan agreementpublished at 00:49 BST 9 October

    Lucy Manning
    Special correspondent

    Relatives of hostages and former hostages have been reacting on social media to the news of a deal and the return of the hostages.

    Eli Sharabi, whose wife and children were killed, and whose brother Yossi’s body is being held by Hamas, posted: “Great joy, can’t wait to see everyone home.”

    The mother of hostage Matan Zangauker said on X: “Matan returns home to me..to you, to the country. For these tears, I prayed.”

    The mother of hostage Nimrod Cohen posted: “My child, you are coming home.”

    Former British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari celebrated with former hostage Romi Gonen, reciting prayers of gratitude, then toasting “L’chaim”, meaning “to life”. She has been campaigning for the release of her friends, twins Gali and Ziv Berman.

    Their brother Liran Berman posted: "My Gali and Ziv, I love you so much. You're coming home."

  9. White House predicts hostage release to begin on Mondaypublished at 00:46 BST 9 October

    Israel's cabinet is due to vote tomorrow on the deal, and if they approve Israel must retreat to an agreed upon line.

    The withdrawal should take under 24 hours, a senior official at the White House has told our partners at CBS News.

    After Israel leaves, then the 72-hour clock to release the Israeli hostages begins.

    "Our assessment is that hostages will begin getting released on Monday," the official said.

    But they also said that "Hamas will try to go earlier if possible".

  10. Netanyahu: 'Great day for Israel'published at 00:34 BST 9 October

    Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has just released another statement, calling Hamas and Israel's agreement to the first phase of a Gaza deal "a great day for Israel".

    He says he will convene Israel's government tomorrow to approve the agreement and "bring all our dear hostages home".

    He goes on to thank Israeli troops and US President Donald Trump and his team "for their mobilization for this sacred mission of releasing our hostages".

  11. More from Hamas's statementpublished at 00:32 BST 9 October

    We can bring you more now from Hamas's statement on the ceasefire deal.

    According to the BBC's US news partner, CBS, Hamas says the agreement will "end the war on Gaza, ensure the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces, allow the entry of humanitarian aid, and implement a prisoner exchange".

    It thanks Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and US President Donald Trump for their mediation efforts. Hamas also calls on Trump and other parties to "ensure that the Israeli occupation government fully complies with the terms of the agreement".

    The people of Gaza "have demonstrated unmatched courage, honour, and heroism", Hamas adds.

    "We will never abandon our people’s national rights until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved."

  12. Hamas confirms Gaza peace dealpublished at 00:24 BST 9 October
    Breaking

    We have now heard from Hamas, which says in a statement that a deal has been reached to end the war in Gaza.

    Hamas is also calling on Trump and the involved countries to compel Israel to fully follow the deal.

  13. Qatar says peace plan will lead to 'ending the war'published at 00:20 BST 9 October

    Qatar's foreign ministry has also just confirmed an agreement has been reached over the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan between Israel and Hamas.

    "The mediators announce that tonight an agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid," a spokesman writes on X.

    He says more details will be announced later.

  14. 'We will bring them all home' - Netanyahupublished at 00:13 BST 9 October
    Breaking

    We've just been hearing from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who says in a statement: "With God's help we will bring them all home," referring to Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

  15. Announcement comes after days of negotiationspublished at 00:10 BST 9 October

    Tom Bateman
    US State Department correspondent

    President Trump's announcement followed a dramatic series of developments both at the location of mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas at Sharm El-Sheikh in Eygpt, and in Washington.

    At the White House tonight, Trump had said he expected to fly to Egypt as soon as this weekend, which his officials later said could be as soon as Friday.

    He had said a deal was very close after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leaned over the president and whispered in his ear and handed him a note.

    It's believed the deal involves the exchange of all the living hostages in return for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners, as Israel withdraws to an agreed upon line; with the exchanges expected to begin in the coming days.

  16. A tense White House turns to a flurry of activitypublished at 00:07 BST 9 October

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    The last several hours at the White House have been tense, but quiet.

    Since Rubio's note earlier, reporters - more than is usual at 19:00 - have remained at their desks, waiting on any development.

    Notably, today's press "pool" - which today includes the BBC - has been kept around uncharacteristically long.

    Amongst ourselves, we figured that an announcement, or possibly an appearance by Trump himself, was imminent.

    It's finally come via Truth Social, sending the White House into a flurry of activity. Several reporters quickly sprinted outside to their camera crews, and all I hear now is typing at several desks and cubicles in the White House basement.

    It's unclear if any further announcements are coming tonight.

  17. Trump says Israel and Hamas agree to first phase of peace planpublished at 23:54 BST 8 October
    Breaking

    US President Donald Trump posts on social media that "Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan".

    The rest of the post reads: "This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly!

    "This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!"

  18. When will Trump travel?published at 23:47 BST 8 October

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    As of Wednesday night, there is no firm indication of when Trump may travel to the Middle East.

    The closest we have to any planning came earlier from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said that Trump was planning to go Walter Reed Medical Center near Washington for a planned meeting with troops, as well as his yearly check-up.

    After that, he will return to the White House.

    "President Trump is considering going to the Middle East shortly thereafter," she added.

  19. Rubio passes Trump a note on 'very close' dealpublished at 23:45 BST 8 October

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    Marco Rubio and Donald TrumpImage source, Getty Images

    The first inkling that there was some movement on the Gaza deal tonight came earlier today, at the tail end of a nearly two-hour event focused on domestic law enforcement and Antifa.

    A few minutes before the end of the event, Secretary of State Marco Rubio entered the room, taking a seat near Trump, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

    From where I stood in a scrum of reporters on the far side of the room, Rubio seemed - at least to me - to be somewhat nervous, and fidgety. He later scrawled a note on a piece of White House stationary, handing it to Trump and moments later walking over to him, bending down and whispering in his ear.

    Trump looked at the note and pursed his lips, nodding, seemingly satisfied. As reporters yelled questions in his directions, he stopped us and said that the note informed him that “we are very close to a deal”.

    He exited the room just moments later, saying he had to go focus on the Middle East.

    Notably, earlier in the same event Trump was asked whether any trip to the Middle East could potentially include Gaza. “I may do that,” he said, adding that he would be “going to Egypt” and “making the rounds”.

    Marco Rubio and Donald TrumpImage source, Getty Images
  20. Trump says Gaza deal 'very close'published at 23:41 BST 8 October

    Aoife Walsh
    Live editor

    US President Donald Trump says a ceasefire deal in Gaza is "very close", after days of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt.

    Trump made the comments while speaking at the White House on Wednesday afternoon, during which Secretary of State Marco Rubio entered and passed him a note, which appeared to ask him to approve a Truth Social post about Gaza so that "you can announce first".

    The White House has also said Trump is "considering travelling to the Middle East" in the coming days.

    A Palestinian official told the BBC that Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators had finished seven hours of talks with the Hamas delegation, which included members of other Palestinian groups.

    Mediators are meeting Israel's delegation to seek final answers on remaining issues.

    This is a developing story, we'll bring you more information as we get it.