Hamas have started releasing the surviving Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza as part of the peace deal, in what US President Donald Trump called a “very special” step toward ending the two-year war. In return, Israel will release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The exchange, part of Trump’s peace initiative, comes as Israel commemorates two years since Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023 assault that left over a thousand dead and hundreds abducted.
Trump, who is visiting Israel for four hours, is scheduled to meet families of hostages, address the Knesset, and hold talks with Netanyahu. “The war is over. Okay? You understand that?” he said aboard Air Force One before landing.
After his visit, Trump will travel to Egypt to co-chair a peace summit with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and over 20 world leaders. The talks, held as part of Trump’s 20-point peace plan, aim to establish a new governing body for Gaza under a U.S.-led multinational force and oversee a gradual Israeli withdrawal.
Despite cautious optimism, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire, and Hamas’s refusal to disarm continues to cast uncertainty over the fragile truce.
Here’s how two years of war unfolded — through ten defining moments that took the region from shock and devastation to an uncertain hope for peace.
October 2023: The morning that changed everything
At dawn on 7 October 2023, Hamas militants launched a surprise multi-front assault from Gaza, firing thousands of rockets and storming Israeli communities along the border. Armed fighters infiltrated towns and an outdoor music festival near Re’im, killing 1,219 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 251 others.
It was the deadliest day in Israel’s history, a moment that stunned the nation and the world. Within hours, Israel declared a state of war, vowing to eradicate Hamas “entirely and decisively.”
October–December 2023: Israel’s relentless counteroffensive
Israel’s response was swift and devastating. Airstrikes pounded Gaza day and night, followed by a ground invasion. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said their goal was to “dismantle Hamas’s military infrastructure” — but entire neighbourhoods were levelled in the process.
By the end of 2023, Gaza’s cities lay in ruins. The United Nations estimated over a million people had been displaced, while hospitals, schools, and refugee camps were hit repeatedly. As of October 2025, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, nearly half of them women and children.
Late 2023 – early 2024: Fragile ceasefires and fleeting hope
As global concern mounted, Egypt and Qatar brokered temporary ceasefires to allow the exchange of hostages and prisoners. These short truces provided fleeting relief — emotional reunions on both sides, brief humanitarian pauses — but each ended in renewed violence.
By early 2024, only a few dozen hostages had been released. Israel said that at least 25 of those still held in Gaza were believed to be dead. Families of the captives began weekly vigils in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, demanding their return and urging the government to strike a deal.
Mid-2024: The world responds
As the conflict dragged on, the world’s patience began to erode. By August 2024, the Hamas-run health ministry reported more than 40,000 Palestinians killed. The United Nations described the numbers as “credible and alarming,” noting that most victims were women and children.
International courts stepped in. The International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) launched parallel investigations into possible war crimes by both sides. Rights groups accused Israel of genocide and Hamas of targeting civilians. In several European countries, prosecutors issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu should he enter their territories — a symbolic but powerful rebuke.
Israel, meanwhile, dismissed the accusations as “politically motivated,” insisting it was waging a lawful war of self-defence.
January 2025: Political upheaval and Trump’s return
By the start of 2025, Israel itself was in turmoil. Protesters filled Tel Aviv’s streets, demanding Netanyahu’s resignation and a concrete deal to free the remaining hostages. Polls showed that over 70 per cent of Israelis were dissatisfied with the government’s handling of the war. The army chief resigned, admitting failures in preventing the October 7 attack.
Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump returned to the White House, declaring he would end the war that Joe Biden “let spiral out of control.” Trump’s administration swiftly approved billions in military aid to Israel and proposed a sweeping peace plan designed to secure a lasting truce.
January–March 2025: A short-lived calm
Under pressure from Washington and regional mediators, Israel and Hamas agreed to a three-phase ceasefire between January and March. The temporary pause allowed humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza and more hostages to be exchanged. For the first time in months, families reunited, and aid convoys reached devastated communities.
But the calm proved fleeting. Disagreements over Hamas’s disarmament and the governance of postwar Gaza soon reignited tensions. Rockets once again rained on southern Israel, prompting renewed airstrikes that shattered hopes for peace.
March 2025: Operation 'Might and Sword'
On 18 March, Israel launched “Operation Might and Sword,” its most aggressive campaign since the war began. Overnight strikes in Gaza City killed more than 850 people. The IDF said it had targeted Hamas command centres and tunnel networks, while humanitarian groups reported massive civilian casualties.
The escalation drew in regional actors — Hezbollah fired rockets from Lebanon, and Iran vowed “severe retaliation.” Analysts warned the region was on the brink of a wider war.
April–June 2025: Gaza’s breaking point
Spring brought further devastation. Israel extended its offensive into southern Gaza under “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” capturing parts of Khan Yunis and Rafah. Entire neighbourhoods were razed. Thousands of civilians were killed, injured, or forced to flee once again.
Inside Gaza, anger turned on Hamas. Protesters demanded an end to the war and the group’s removal from power. The despair reached new depths as food, water, and medical supplies ran out.
In June, Israel and the United States jointly struck Iranian military targets after cross-border missile attacks — a move that killed senior Iranian officers and further heightened fears of a broader conflict.
September 2025: The Doha shock
In September, Israel carried out an airstrike in Doha, Qatar, where Hamas officials were reportedly meeting mediators to discuss a ceasefire. The attack killed six people, including civilians, and drew condemnation from Arab and Western governments alike. Israel claimed it had targeted senior Hamas commanders planning further attacks.
The strike derailed months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, freezing talks that had shown glimmers of progress.
October 2025: Trump’s 20-point peace plan
Two years after Hamas’s initial assault, the guns have fallen mostly silent — for now. Delegations from Israel and Hamas have gathered in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh resort to discuss President Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan. The proposal calls for a complete ceasefire once Hamas releases all hostages, followed by the group’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
“I think we’re very, very close to having a deal,” Trump told reporters. Israeli commanders, however, remain cautious, warning that “the military will return to fighting” if talks fail.
Meanwhile, 157 UN member states now recognise Palestine as a sovereign state — a growing global consensus that Israel continues to reject.
Friday, Oct. 3 – Miami, Florida: Kushner and Witkoff begin hostage talks
When Jared Kushner heard Hamas had agreed to begin discussions on hostage releases, he drove to developer Steve Witkoff’s Miami home. The two worked through calls and drafts of the emerging peace proposal, according to U.S. officials.
Sunday–Monday, Oct. 5–6 – Sharm El Sheikh: Hamas and Israel meet face-to-face
Diplomats from Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt facilitated rare direct talks between Hamas and Israeli officials in Sharm El Sheikh. After tactical teams laid the groundwork, Kushner and Witkoff flew in to join the negotiations.
Wednesday morning, Oct. 8 – Sharm El Sheikh: Refining the peace plan
Arriving at 6:30 a.m., Kushner and Witkoff “immediately went to work,” refining key details like the redeployment of Israeli troops and the timing of hostage releases.
Talks divided the deal into two phases:
Phase One: Hostage and prisoner exchanges.
Phase Two: “An almost permanent ceasefire,” including disarmament, governance arrangements for Gaza, and Israeli redeployment terms.
Trump’s message to his envoys: “First, get it done.” He pledged full support for his 20-point peace plan and promised to enforce discipline on both sides.
Wednesday evening, Oct. 8 – Sharm El Sheikh: ‘serious breakthroughs’
After nearly 20 hours of negotiations, U.S. officials reported “serious breakthroughs.”
A consensus was reached on releasing 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Trump personally called into the talks three times via speakerphone.
One U.S. official said the atmosphere shifted dramatically:
“People became more malleable… We were trust-building. You could see it.”
Hamas negotiators began to accept that freeing hostages could strengthen their position.
“Everybody could see the line, and they wanted to cross it,” said another official.
5:30 p.m. Washington / 2:30 a.m. Sharm El Sheikh, Thursday, Oct. 9 – Deal announced
Having finalised the agreement, Kushner and Witkoff informed the White House.
President Donald Trump announced the deal on Truth Social, declaring:
“This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
Kushner and Witkoff then travelled to Cairo to brief Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, enlisting his role in the implementation phase, before flying to Tel Aviv.
6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9 – Tel Aviv: Applause in the cabinet room
Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, the two went straight to meetings with President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then addressed the Israeli Cabinet.
A U.S. official recounted:
“Everybody started clapping. There were plenty of differences, but the mood was hopeful.”
Their goal was to ensure “implementation occurs” and to prevent missteps in the fragile process.
One senior official noted that Trump’s unwavering pro-Israel stance helped cement trust:
“He’s not trying to be a middle-of-the-roader… Israel knows he won’t ask them to compromise their security.”
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