Gaza ceasefire takes effect after two years of war

A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took effect on 10 October 2025, ending two years of war. The fighting began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and around 250 taken hostage.

The truce was mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, and was based on a US-backed plan for ending the conflict. Its first phase provided for a halt to major hostilities, a pullback of Israeli forces to an agreed line, the release of hostages held in Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. It also provided for an increase in humanitarian aid entering the territory.

The war had killed tens of thousands of Palestinians according to Gaza health authorities, destroyed much of the territory's housing and infrastructure, and displaced most of its population, many of them several times. The ceasefire brought relief, but hundreds of thousands of people remained in tents and makeshift shelters, leaving them exposed to winter weather and other hazards.