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14 Oct 2025 14:08
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  •   Home > News > International

    US and Arab countries sign deal throwing support behind Gaza ceasefire

    The deal comes as one group representing hostages accuses Hamas of breaching aspects of the ceasefire agreement, with the remains of 24 hostages yet to be returned to Israel.


    The US, Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye have signed a "historic" declaration committing to uphold a ceasefire in Gaza, as the families of 24 dead hostages still held by Hamas await news of their release. 

    Hours after the last remaining living hostages were reunited with family and friends, US President Donald Trump wrapped up a speech to the Israeli parliament and jetted off to Egypt.

    "We have peace in the Middle East," Mr Trump told the summit after signing the ceasefire deal.

    He said the next challenge was rebuilding Gaza after two years of war.

    "We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us, and to declare that our future will not be ruled by the fights of generations past."

    The summit's host, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi, used the event to renew his call for a two-state solution.

    Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas attended the meeting after being invited only the night before and met with Mr Trump.

    Representatives from Hamas and Israel did not attend the summit, held in the Egyptian seaside resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited by Mr Trump only hours earlier, but declined, citing "proximity of the holiday", referring to the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.

    The agreement came hours after Hamas handed over the 20 remaining surviving hostages captured on October 7, 2023.

    Hostage group claims agreement breached by Hamas

    On Monday, thousands of Israelis tuned in from Hostages Square in Tel Aviv as the hostages were returned.

    Israel's government and military posted dozens of photos and videos and wrote, "Welcome home," on X.

    The bodies of only four of the dead hostages were returned on the same day. Israel previously said it did not expect all of the dead hostages to be returned on Monday.

    Hamas named the four but the IDF said "identification procedures will be carried out" on the remains first.

    But a hostage families' group accused the militants of reneging on the deal by not returning more.

    "This represents a blatant breach of the agreement by Hamas," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.

    "We expect Israel's government and the mediators to take immediate action to rectify this grave injustice."

    After the hostage release, Israel returned nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, some serving life sentences, others taken from Gaza since the war broke out.

    The two sides had been at war in Gaza since Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which claimed the lives of roughly 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage.

    Israel's subsequent campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 68,000 people, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

    Trump praises Israel, commits to Gaza rebuild

    Prior to the Egyptian summit, Mr Trump spent Monday morning on a whirlwind visit to Israel.

    There, he met with some of the families of the 20 hostages released by Hamas, before addressing Israel's parliament, the Knesset.

    "You've won," he told Israeli politicians.

    "Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East."

    The US president also promised to help rebuild Gaza and urged Palestinians to "turn forever from the path of terror and violence".

    "After tremendous pain and death and hardship, now is the time to concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down," he said.

    "And the total focus of Gazans must be on restoring the fundamentals of stability, safety, dignity and economic development so they can finally have the better life their children really do deserve after all these decades of horror."

    ABC/wires

    © 2025 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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