Trump draws international praise as broker of Israel-Hamas deal

LONDON -- World leaders on Thursday issued a wave of statements commending Israel and Hamas for agreeing to the first phase of a ceasefire deal, with many also praising U.S. President Donald Trump for his administration’s role in brokering the deal.

"I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement. "This is a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world, but particularly for the hostages, their families, and for the civilian population of Gaza, who have endured unimaginable suffering over the last two years."

French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres issued statements with wording closely matching Starmer’s. Each praised Trump, then also included an appeal to Israel and Hamas to abide by the terms of the agreement.

Those statements and many others like them followed Trump’s announcement on Wednesday evening that the warring parties had "both signed off" on the first phase of a ceasefire plan.

"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!" Trump said in a statement posted on social media.

The full details of that deal were still coming into focus on Thursday, but the broad outline included a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release by Hamas of the remaining hostages, according to Trump. An as-yet unknown number of Palestinian prisoners are also expected to be released from Israeli jails. Nearly 2,000 prisoners are believed to be under discussion for release.

Israeli officials were preparing on Thursday to ratify the deal. The details of the agreed-to deal had not been released as of Thursday morning.

White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were in Egypt on Wednesday for the final negotiations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Washington, where he interrupted a White House roundtable to notify Trump that an agreement to the deal was near.

The administration's efforts drew applause from Trump’s allies in Washington, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who in a statement hailed it as "a truly historic achievement," as well as from leaders and aid organisations farther afield.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement posted on social media he wanted to thank "all those involved in this vital effort."

"I wish to extend my deepest thanks to POTUS Donald Trump for his incredible leadership toward securing the release of the hostages, bringing an end to the war, and creating hope for a new reality in the Middle East," Herzog said. "There is no doubt that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this. Should he visit us in the coming days, he will be received with immense respect, affection, and gratitude by the people of Israel."

Praise for the deal also came from the Palestinian Authority, which governed the Gaza Strip until a violent 2007 seizure by Hamas, the terror organization that at that time executed or expelled many of the Authority's civil leaders. The Authority, which currently controls civil operations in parts of the West Bank, said in a statement that President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the deal, calling it a "prelude to reaching a permanent political solution."

"He also commended President Trump and all mediators for their significant efforts in reaching the agreement, affirming the State of Palestine's readiness to work with relevant mediators and international partners to ensure its success, in order to achieve stability and a lasting and just peace in accordance with international law," the Authority’s statement said.

Guterres, of the U.N., said on social media he welcomed the agreement, praising the "diplomatic efforts" of the United States and the others who moved the deal forward, including Qatar, Egypt and Turkey. He called it a "desperately needed breakthrough."

"The UN will support the full implementation of the agreement & will scale up the delivery of sustained & principled humanitarian relief, and we will advance recovery & reconstruction efforts in Gaza," Guterres added.

European Council President Antonio Costa said the deal amounted to a "foundation for a lasting peace, grounded in a two-state solution."

"Its implementation paves the way for the long-awaited release of all Israeli hostages, a ceasefire in Gaza, and an end to the severe humanitarian crisis on the ground," Costa said on Thursday.

The Catholic Church’s local patriarchate also issued a statement praising the deal, saying it "welcomes the joy" of the announcement.

"It is good news, and we are very happy. It is a first step, the first phase. Of course, there are many others, and surely there will be other obstacles," Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said in a statement.

He added, "But now we have to rejoice about this important step that will bring a little more trust for the future and also bring new hope, especially to the people, both Israeli and Palestinians."