Gaza latest: Israel announces when Hamas ceasefire will take effect after Trump peace deal signed

The U.S. president claims he has ended ‘seven wars’ – even though many of the conflicts are still taking place. Experts tell Maira Butt that while Trump is unlikely to win he should not be ruled out completely.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani agreed in a phone call that the Russian-Arab summit should be postponed, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

“Given the start of the active phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan for normalisation in the Gaza Strip, Vladimir Putin and Mohammed Sudani agreed that it would be difficult for many of the invited leaders of Arab states to personally come to Moscow in this situation,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

The summit was scheduled to take place in Moscow on 15 October.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said his administration would work with Iran and would like to see them be able to rebuild their country, adding that Tehran acknowledged that they are in favor of the Israel, Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he has agreed to speak to the Israeli Knesset and will do so if requested by officials there.

“They asked me to speak at the Knesset and … I’ve agreed to if they would like me to,” Trump told reporters as he met his Cabinet at the White House.

Captivity survivor Omer Shem Tov, who was held hostage by Hamas for 505 days, has spoken out following the news of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

“With all the joy and happiness, I have to say—this isn’t over yet. Let’s keep praying, sending positive energy, keep fighting until they all come back. I imagine that moment when they cross the border and arrive in Israel, and we who returned last will finally experience the homecoming of the hostages we’ve been waiting for so desperately.

“How they’ll cross over and see their officer and give her that first real hug! How they’ll arrive at Re’im, finally able to shower, put on their own clothes from their own closet, and then see their parents again. How much happiness, how much light they will bring to this nation—you can’t even imagine how much light they will bring. I’m just waiting for us all to be able to heal again and become a united, whole people.

“Thank you to everyone who took part, thank you to this wonderful nation. I look at you and feel this great light. Thank you, thank you to this incredible forum, and thank you to President Trump.”

A Palestinian rights group on Thursday sought to overturn a ruling that Britain lawfully allowed F-35 fighter jet components to be indirectly exported to Israel, despite accepting they could be used to breach international humanitarian law.

Al-Haq, a group based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, unsuccessfully challenged Britain’s Department for Business and Trade over its decision last year to exempt F-35 parts when it suspended export licences for arms that could be used in the conflict in Gaza.

The group asked the Court of Appeal for permission to challenge a lower court ruling that found Britain’s decision was lawful and dismissed Al-Haq’s challenge.

Al-Haq’s case was heard as Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the biggest step yet to end two years of war in which over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed.

The president said Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of the deal, which would bring an end to Benjamin Netanyahu’s assault on the enclave and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.

Israeli cabinet and government meetings taking place Thursday are the final step towards ratifying the deal. If approved, the ceasefire will come into effect 24 hours after the cabinet meeting, a government spokesperson said.