World leaders on Thursday expressed hope for peace and urged Israel and Hamas to fulfil their commitments in the hours after US President Donald Trump announced that the parties had agreed to the “first phase” of a deal, signaling a major breakthrough in the two-year war in Gaza.

“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,” Trump wrote on social media.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement from his office: “A great day for Israel. [On Thursday] I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home.”

Reactions quickly poured in from around the world.

“The United Nations will support the full implementation of the agreement and will scale up the delivery of sustained and principled humanitarian relief, and we will advance recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

The UN chief urged all parties “to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security,” he said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed “profound relief” at the news, saying: “I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.”

“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 all endured unimaginable suffering over the last two years,” he said in a statement.

“This agreement must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza,” Starmer added.

“We call on all parties to meet the commitments they have made, to end the war, and to build the foundations for a just and lasting end to the conflict and a sustainable path to a long-term peace,” he said.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social media: “I am relieved that the hostages will soon be reunited with their families.”

“After years of intense suffering, peace finally feels attainable,” he said. “Canada calls on all parties to swiftly implement all agreed terms and to work towards a just and lasting peace.”

Carney, like several other leaders, praised Qatar, Egypt and Turkey for their role in the negotiations.

Australia reacted similarly, saying it “welcomes President Trump’s announcement that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of the plan to bring peace to Gaza.”

“After more than two years of conflict, hostages held, and a devastating loss of civilian life, this is a much-needed step towards peace. Australia has consistently been part of international calls for a ceasefire, return of the hostages, and the unimpeded flow of aid to Gaza,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a joint statement with Foreign Minister Penny Wong. “We urge all parties to respect the terms of the plan.”

“Australia strongly supports the plan’s commitment to denying Hamas any role in the future governance of Gaza,” it continued. “There is a very long road to recovery in Gaza, securing long-term peace and building the Palestinian state. Together with our partners, Australia will continue to do what we can to contribute to a just and enduring two-state solution.”

Italy also said it welcomed the agreement, and said the country is ready to send troops if peacekeeping forces are needed.

“The peace is near,” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Thursday on X. “Italy, which has always supported the US plan, is ready to do its part to consolidate the ceasefire, deliver new humanitarian aid, and participate in the reconstruction of Gaza. We are also ready to send troops if an international peacekeeping force is created to reunify Palestine.”

The European Union called the agreement “a significant breakthrough, and a real chance to end the war and release all the hostages,” the bloc’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said, calling it “a major diplomatic accomplishment.”

“The EU will do what it can to support its implementation,” Kallas added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed satisfaction and thanked Trump’s efforts to end the war.

“I am greatly pleased that the Hamas-Israel talks… have resulted in a ceasefire in Gaza. I especially thank US President, Mr. Trump, who demonstrated the necessary political will to encourage the Israeli government toward the ceasefire,” Erdogan said on his official X account.

Argentine President Javier Milei, a close ally of Trump and Netanyahu, reacted by saying he “will sign the candidacy of Donald J. Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to international peace.”

“Any other leader with similar achievements would have received it a long time ago,” the libertarian leader wrote on X.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a statement that “this development offers a semblance of hope after months of unbearable suffering and devastation.”

He urged all parties to seize the opportunity to move toward a comprehensive and enduring peace.

Japan “welcomes that the agreement on the ‘first phase’ has been reached among the involved parties,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters.

“This agreement is an important step toward de-escalating the situation and achieving the two-state solution,” he said.

He also praised the US, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and other mediating countries for their “relentless effort” and sought “sincere and steady implementation” by all involved parties.

Hayashi promised Tokyo’s support and contribution to improving Gaza’s humanitarian conditions and reconstruction.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters said: “Over the past two years, both Israelis and Palestinians have suffered immensely. Today is a positive first step in bringing that suffering to an end.”

Peters urged Hamas and Israel to fulfil their parts of the deal.

“This is an essential first step towards achieving lasting peace,” Peters said. “We urge Israel and Hamas to continue working towards a complete resolution.”

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, called the announcement of a deal “good news, and we are very happy.”

“It is a first step, the first phase,” he cautioned in a statement. “Of course, there are many others, and surely there will be other obstacles. 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.”

He noted that life in Gaza “will remain terrible for a long time,” but there is finally “something new and different.”

“Now we are happy and we hope that this is just the beginning of a new phase where we can, little by little, start thinking not about war, but about how to rebuild after the war,” said Pizzaballa.

Lazar Berman contributed to this report.