A proposed armistice and hostages/prisoners exchange to end the Gaza war was agreed to by Israel and Hamas on 15 January 2025, and came into effect on 19 January. The proposal was first drafted by mediators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar, accepted by Hamas on 5 May 2024 and presented by U.S. president Joe Biden on 31 May. By January 2025, a similar proposal had been agreed to by both Israel and Hamas. The proposal is a serial initiative in three stages, beginning with a six-week ceasefire, the release of all Israelis being held hostage in Gaza in exchange for some of the Palestinians being held by Israel, a permanent ceasefire, Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, and a reconstruction process lasting from three to five years.

During the first stage, Hamas would release thirty-three Israelis (mostly children and women), in exchange for Israel releasing 30–50 Palestinians (starting with children and women) for every Israeli released. During the first stage, Israel would have to allow "sufficient" quantities of humanitarian aid, allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes and start to make a phased withdrawal from Gaza. During the first stage ceasefire, talks would begin between both parties for a more permanent cessation of hostilities. In the second stage, Israel would accept a permanent ceasefire and Hamas would then release the remaining living male hostages, both civilians and soldiers, for an exchange of Palestinian prisoners. In the third stage, the remains of deceased Israeli hostages would be released. Under the 5 May proposal Israel would commit to lifting the blockade on the Gaza Strip, but this commitment was not present in the 31 May proposal.

On 10 June, the United Nations Security Council supported the proposal as Resolution 2735. In late-June 2024, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel was open only to a partial ceasefire that did not include ending the war in Gaza. On one hand, the Netanyahu administration was accused of sabotaging ceasefire talks. On the other hand, top U.S. officials John Kirby and Antony Blinken accuse Hamas of hindering progress and constantly causing the failures to reach a hostages deal and ceasefire.

The deal was achieved through negotiations mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. CNN reported that both the Biden administration and U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration played equal roles, with the role of the former administration facilitated by Middle Eastern negotiator Brett McGurk, and were willing to work together and compromise due to a desire for a solution prior to the latter's inauguration. Prior to its conclusion, Trump repeatedly warned that failure to release the hostages, including seven American citizens, before his 20 January inauguration would result in "hell to pay". A diplomat told The Washington Post that Trump pressured the Israeli side to accept the deal. Israeli sources also state that the incoming Trump administration revived the talks for a ceasefire. The New York Times also remarked on Biden's heavy involvement in the negotiations, mentioning particularly how McGurk collaborating with Trump's future special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. Witkoff said that Biden's advisor McGurk was "in the lead", which The New York Times reported both camps deemed was accurate and that Biden's team did most of the work.

On 17 January 2025, the deal was approved by the Israeli security cabinet and then later the full Israeli cabinet, and was also signed by its negotiators.

Following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and Israel's subsequent declaration of war on Hamas, Egypt and Jordan began coordinating a response to avert an escalation of the conflict. Attempts to reach a ceasefire were raised at the United Nations Security Council in October; Israel requested the resignation of United Nations secretary-general António Guterres after he referred to Israel's retaliation as unjustified collective punishment. After Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip, Israeli prime minister Netanyahu rejected a ceasefire, equating a halt in fighting to a surrender to Hamas and terrorism. United States secretary of state Antony Blinken presented "humanitarian pauses" to countries in the region but stated a ceasefire would allow Hamas to initiate a second attack on Israel. An agreement was nearly reached, but forfeited after Israel's invasion of Gaza.

In a press conference in November, Netanyahu stated a ceasefire would necessitate a return of Israeli hostages taken during the attack. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt intensified efforts to reach a ceasefire; at the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit, Iran and Saudi Arabia urged for a ceasefire. The Washington Post reported on 18 November that the U.S. was nearing an agreement to release hostages and halt fighting, drafted during discussions in Doha, Qatar. On 22 November, Israel and Hamas exchanged hostages for prisoners and held a four-day ceasefire. U.S. president Biden was critical to restoring negotiations, according to The Wall Street Journal. Israel and Hamas extended the ceasefire for an additional two days and released additional hostages and detainees, but Israel resumed its offensive after Qatari mediators could not resolve differences in terms.

The U.S. government began urging Israel and Hamas to negotiate, according to National Security Council strategic communications coordinator John Kirby. In December, Egypt provided a ceasefire plan obtained by the Associated Press that would gradually release hostages and form a Palestinian government to administer Gaza and the occupied West Bank, relinquishing control from Hamas. Several days later, NPR reported on a revised proposal that would remove references to the governance of Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Efforts at the United Nations Security Council failed to offer a ceasefire over concerns relating to aid monitoring by the United Nations. By January, several Israeli commanders expressed beliefs that releasing hostages could only be achieved through diplomacy, according to The New York Times; general Gadi Eisenkot stated publicly that Israel should "rescue civilians, ahead of killing an enemy".

Throughout January 2024, Egyptian and Qatari mediators suggested several proposals, ranging from weeks to months. Hamas officials stated the remaining hostages, estimated to number over a hundred, would be released if a favorable and comprehensive ceasefire was offered; Netanyahu rejected a permanent ceasefire if Hamas would be allowed to govern Gaza. Israeli officials suggested a permanent ceasefire if Hamas leaders went into exile, a deal opposed by Hamas. On 25 January, the U.S. announced Central Intelligence Agency director William J. Burns would meet with Israeli, Egyptian, and Qatari officials. According to the U.S., Israel proposed a sixty-day ceasefire. In discussions, officials discussed exchanging hostages, enhancing the Palestinian Authority, and improving Israel–Saudi Arabia relations in exchange for support of a Palestinian state.

Following the meeting in Paris, Hamas chief political leader Ismail Haniyeh stated the organization was considering a deal, but remained committed to a withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza, a demand rejected by Netanyahu. Al-Aqsa reported that Hamas continued to discuss the proposal through 4 February as Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia to advance a framework on a ceasefire. In a meeting with Israeli minister without portfolio Benny Gantz, U.S. vice president Kamala Harris urged for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. By 7 March, ceasefire discussions did not appear to progress. According to Axios, Hamas prioritized returning Palestinians to northern Gaza in discussions. Leading up to Ramadan, mediators from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar increased efforts to reach a ceasefire; Burns met with Barnea in Jordan on 8 March to discuss a hostage deal. Netanyahu rejected Hamas's counteroffer as "ludicrous", but remained open to negotiating.

On 18 March, Israel and Hamas began negotiating for the first time since December. Hamas eased its demands, removing an agreement to hold a permanent ceasefire. A United Nations warning of an imminent famine furthered discussions to reach a ceasefire. The United States abstained from voting on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2728, a resolution that demands a ceasefire during Ramadan and the unconditional release of hostages, allowing the vote to pass but creating a conflict with Netanyahu. By 26 March, negotiations had stalled; Israel accused Hamas of stalling discussions, encouraged by the U.S.'s abstention of Resolution 2728. Burns, Sheikh Mohammed, Burnea, and Egyptian officials met in Doha to discuss a proposal that included an increased number of released Palestinian prisoners.

On 1 April, Israeli strikes on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy killed seven workers. Biden condemned the attack, stating Israel had "not done enough to protect civilians". In a call three days after the strikes, Biden told Netanyahu to seek an "immediate ceasefire", warning that the U.S. could shift its policy on the war if Israel does not adhere to his demands. Biden urged Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas to reach a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages. On 7 April, Israel withdrew the 98th Paratroopers Division from Khan Yunis, significantly reducing Israel's presence in southern Gaza. According to Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant, the withdrawal was intended to reallocate resources towards a planned invasion of Rafah.

In early April, talks appeared to have been stalled on at least two issues. Hamas insisted it will only release the hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, but Israel said it would only agree to a temporary one. Palestinians also demanded that Gazans be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza, which Israel rejected. On 8 April 2024, Central Intelligence Agency director William J. Burns presented a proposal to release forty hostages in exchange for a six-week ceasefire to Mossad director David Barnea, Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and General Intelligence Service director Abbas Kamel. Hamas rejected the proposal for temporary truce, and once again demanded a permanent ceasefire. On 15 April, a senior US Congressman Steny Hoyer threatened that the US "will reevaluate its relationship with Qatar" if it doesn't pressure Hamas to release the hostages. Qatar responded by saying it will reevalutate its role as a mediator. On 18 April, CIA Director Burns blamed Hamas for lack of a deal, pointing out that Gazan civilians would get some humanitarian relief under the current proposal. On 26 April, Hamas repeated that it was "serious" about a deal, but only if it included a permanent ceasefire.

On 27 April, Hamas received an Israeli ceasefire proposal. According to Axios, the agreement included "a willingness to discuss" a "sustainable calm" in Gaza after an initial hostage release. Yet on 30 April, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said "The idea that we will stop the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question." Netanyahu promised to invade Rafah "with or without a deal". Two days later, Israel appeared willing to accept an initial release of thirty-three hostages as U.S. president Joe Biden reiterated urges for Hamas's support of Israel's proposal to Egypt and Qatar.

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken appeared in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to garner support for a ceasefire from the Gulf Cooperation Council's members. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to invade Rafah regardless of a ceasefire. Blinken said Israel's offer was "extraordinarily generous" and blamed Hamas for not accepting it. Hamas responded that "Even the Israeli negotiating team admitted Netanyahu was the one who was hindering reaching an agreement". On 1 May, Hamas rejected the Israeli proposal, but promised to make a counter-proposal, while also saying that Israel's Rafah invasion could put the talks in jeopardy. On Telegram, Hamas chief political leader Ismail Haniyeh said on 2 May the organization viewed the proposal with "positive spirit" and planned to send a delegate to Egypt. According to a text message obtained by The New York Times, former Hamas military leader Husam Badran wrote two days later the organization's representatives approached Israel's proposal with "great positivity". Discussions stalled by 5 May in a purported "crisis" over the duration of a ceasefire; Hamas requested a permanent ceasefire, while Netanyahu was open to only a temporary ceasefire.

On 2 May, Hamas outlined three points of Israel's proposal that it disagreed with. On 4 and 5 May, talks were hosted in Cairo, which were attended by Egyptians, Qataris, Hamas, and a US delegation led by CIA director William Burns. Although Hamas also sent a delegation, the Americans don't directly talk to Hamas, but communicate their proposals through intermediaries. Benjamin Netanyahu decided to not send an Israeli delegation.

Previous negotiation had failed because Hamas sought a permanent end to the war, while Israel would only agree to a temporary ceasefire. The Egyptians and Qataris aimed to bridge this divide by separating the ceasefire into three phases, with negotiations for a "sustainable calm" happening only in the second phase. The wording "sustainable calm" was crafted by the Americans so that Israel would not have to commit to a permanent ceasefire upfront. The United States official hoped that the first 42-day ceasefire would lead to something "more enduring". On 6 May, John Kirby, an advisor to Biden, confirmed that CIA Director William Burns had played a key role in the negotiations that brought about the proposal.

On 4 May, Qatar and Egypt presented the three stage proposal. It was accepted on 5 May by Hamas. Netanyahu said the proposal was "far" from Israeli demands, but promised to continue negotiations. Israeli and Palestinian teams went to Cairo for further discussions. The Palestinian team included Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front. Hamas said it was committed to the 5 May deal it accepted, but would not entertain changes to the deal. On 9 May, Palestinian and Israeli negotiating teams, along with CIA Director Richard Burns, all left Cairo without an agreement.

On 31 May 2024, Biden announced a proposal that he said was drafted by Israel's war cabinet in the State Dining Room of the White House, endorsing the plan. Sources say that Biden incorrectly stated it was an Israeli proposal. According to Al Jazeera, Israel's proposal is nearly identical to the Egyptian-Qatari agreement. The U.S. shared the plan with Hamas through Qatar. Blinken spoke with his counterparts in Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to garner support for the proposal. The United States, Egypt, and Qatar issued a joint statement on 1 June urging Israel and Hamas to finalize an agreement. According to The Wall Street Journal, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's intentions to secure the longevity of the organization conflict with Israel's intentions to defeat Hamas. United States National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated Israel would agree to the proposal if Hamas accepts the deal. The following day, an Israeli official stated a permanent ceasefire would "only happen after our objectives are met including destroying Hamas' military and governing capabilities".

According to U.S. officials, Netanyahu is unwilling to support a ceasefire and the release of hostages out of concerns that he will lose his premiership. Hamas expressed interest in operating within a proposal that includes a withdrawal of Israeli forces, a permanent truce, the return of Palestinians, and a prisoner exchange. On 1 June, Netanyahu stated the war would not end until Hamas is defeated militarily and operationally and a permanent ceasefire as a "nonstarter". On 2 June, an aide to Netanyahu stated Israel agreed to Biden's three-phase ceasefire proposal, but reserved that it was "not a good deal".

On 10 June, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2735 backing the 31 May proposal, noting Israel's acceptance thereof and calling on Hamas to accept the proposed agreement as well. The following day, Hamas and Islamic Jihad replied to the resolution with amendments to the proposal, including a timeline for a permanent ceasefire and troop withdrawals, and the Office of the Israeli Prime Minister stated, "The claim that Israel agreed to end the war before achieving all its goals is a total lie". The United States responded to the Palestinians' proposed amendments by calling them unworkable. The day after that, Hamas denied adding any new ideas to the ceasefire proposal. On 21 June, Hamas stated, "The priority is to stop the criminal war on our people", and three days later, Netanyahu stated Israel would only accept a partial ceasefire that would not end the war.

In July, Netanyahu announced that Israel would not end its occupation of the Philadelphi Corridor, which constitutes Gaza Strip's border with Egypt. This new demand contradicted the May proposal announced by Biden. The May proposal envisioned Israel withdrawing from the entirety of the Gaza Strip in the second stage; back in May, Israel had not yet captured the corridor. Hamas rejected Netanyahu's new demand, calling on Israel to "stick to agreed ceasefire plan."

Palestinians, including Hamas, see the demand for occupying the corridor as the beginning of a lasting military occupation and a return of Israeli settlements to Gaza. Indeed, Israeli cabinet ministers in Gaza have openly stated they want Israelis to settle Gaza. Netanyahu said he wanted to maintain the occupation of the corridor in order to prevent weapons smuggling. But other said this demand made no sense, and was more likely being used by Netanyahu so he could cling to power. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the Israeli military could always recapture the corridor in eight hours if it needed to. In addition, an Israeli general warned it would be dangerous to leave Israeli soldiers permanently stationed there.

In addition to the Palestinians, Egypt was also deeply opposed to a permanent Israeli occupation of the Philadelphi corridor, although it would tolerate a phased Israeli withdrawal from the corridor. Egypt sees an Israeli presence at the corridor to be a violation of the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, under which each side is allowed to have only a small number of soldiers in the border zone. At one point in August, Egypt even refused to pass along an Israeli proposal to Hamas, deeming the proposal to be objectionable.

Another complicating factor were Israel's military continued operations in Gaza City, which negotiators warned could have "disastrous repercussions" for their talks.

In an early-September 2024 Haaretz report, an unnamed coalition partner of Netanyahu stated that the Israeli PM had decided several weeks earlier he did not want a ceasefire deal. A report by Channel 12 found Netanyahu had sought "relentlessly" to block a ceasefire deal. Yedioth Ahronoth stated that Netanyahu had sabotaged a hostage ceasefire deal in July 2024 by adding a number of additional last minute demands. A report by U.S. authorities privately acknowledged in mid-September 2024 that the Biden Administration would fail to negotiate a ceasefire before the end of its term. According to unnamed U.S. officials, Biden believed Netanyahu did not want a ceasefire and was rather extending the conflict to help both himself and Trump politically.

In November 2024, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated, "In my estimation, a political settlement will be reached by the end of the year". Senior Israeli officials have suggested that the Israeli government is not seeking a hostage deal but is instead seeking the annexation of large parts of the Gaza Strip. October 2024, U.S. officials said that they believed that Sinwar was no longer interested in a ceasefire deal with Israel. These officials said that Sinwar had become "inflexible" and "fatalistic" as the war had progressed, adding that he was hoping for it to expand into a wider regional conflict involving Iran. Following the election of Trump as US president in November 2024, it was reported that the new President-elect was striving to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal before inauguration on 20 January 2025. In addition, Trump publicly threatened Hamas with unspecified retaliation if hostages were not released.

On 17 December, it was reported that Netanyahu decided to travel to Cairo to promote a ceasefire deal. On the following day, it was reported gaps were narrowing. On 13 January 2025, it was reported that the parties have reached the final draft of the agreement. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that it was involved in the final negotiations. On 16 January 2025, the day after the ceasefire was announced but before it was approved, Israeli military launched across the Gaza Strip killed 86 and injured over 250 Palestinians. On 17 January, a deal for a 42-day ceasefire was achieved, with the deal, which also calls for the release of Israeli hostages, then being approved by the security cabinet in an afternoon vote. Later in the day, the deal was given full cabinet approval and signed by its negotiators.

The proposal is divided into three stages, each 42 days (six weeks) long. Its aims are the release of all Israeli captives – whether civilian or military, alive or deceased; release of some number of Palestinian prisoners; return of "sustainable calm"; and the end of Israeli occupation and siege of the Gaza Strip.

In this stage, Hamas would release 33 Israeli captives. It would start with releasing all living Israeli children (under 19), all living civilian women, all living elderly (over age 50) Israelis, and all living female Israeli soldiers. If the total number of alive children, women, elderly and female soldiers is less than 33, then it would make up for that difference by releasing deceased bodies of Israelis.

In return, Israel would release up to 1,904 Palestinian security prisoners, including 737 serving life terms. Israel would have to allow the entry of "sufficient" quantities of humanitarian aid: 600 trucks per day, of which 300 are for the north. Included in this are 50 fuel trucks "including the fuel necessary for operating the power plant, trade, and equipment needed for rubble removal, rehabilitation and operation of hospitals, health centres and bakeries in all areas of the Gaza Strip".

Simultaneous to the captive exchanges, displaced unarmed Palestinians shall be able to return to their homes in Gaza, and Israel would gradually withdraw from some (but not all) parts of the Gaza Strip. Israel would not conduct military flights over Gaza for 10–12 hours per day.

In the second stage, Hamas would release all remaining alive male Israelis, including both civilians and soldiers. In return, Israel would release an agreed upon number of Palestinian prisoners. The prisoner exchanges would be conditioned on both parties agreeing to and announcing a "sustainable calm" and the withdrawal of remaining Israeli soldiers from the Gaza Strip.

In this stage, Hamas would release all the remains of deceased Israeli captives, in exchange for Israel releasing the remains of deceased Palestinian bodies that it holds. Israel would end the blockade of the Gaza Strip and Hamas would not rebuild its military capabilities.

Under the proposal, activities in the Gaza Strip would be supervised by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations, who along with the United States would guarantee the proposal and its provisions. Hamas stated that they received promises that both Egypt and Biden would guarantee the implementation of the deal.

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was also reached on 17 January 2025. The agreement was confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's office shortly after midnight on 18 January local time. It was set to go into effect 19 January 2025.

On 19 January, the ceasefire was set to go into effect at 8:30 a.m. local time. According to the agreement, Hamas was supposed to publish the names of the three hostages to be released on Sunday by Saturday. However, since Hamas did not release the names by the deadline, Israel postponed the start of the ceasefire. During the delay, Israel struck northern and central Gaza, killing at least 13 and injuring 30. Hamas released the names via Telegram, and the ceasefire went into effect three hours later at 11:30 a.m. Netanyahu stated that if talks for the next stage broke down, "We retain the right to return to the war, if necessary, with the backing of the United States."

Later that day, Hamas transferred three female hostages to the Red Cross: Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher. The Red Cross brought them to Israeli positions in Gaza, and from there to Israel. Crowds gathered and cheered in Tel Aviv as they were released. The agreement held that Israel would release 69 women and 21 child prisoners from the West Bank and Jerusalem. The release was codenamed Operation "Wings of Freedom" by the IDF. Afterward, following the agreement, hundreds of aid trucks carrying food and fuel entered the Gaza Strip through Israel and Egypt. On 20 January, Israel released the 90 Palestinian prisoners, among them activist Khalida Jarrar. Reuters reported that "many" of these 90 Palestinian prisoners "were recently detained by Israel and had not been tried or convicted."

On 24 January, Hamas released the names of four female Israeli soldiers who were to be part of the exchange that would occur on 25 January. The four female soldiers to be released were named as Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag. On 25 January, those four female IDF hostages were released by Hamas. Two hundred Palestinian prisoners, including 121 serving life sentences, and others who were never charged with a crime, were released by Israel. Among those included Hamas militants responsible for murdering nine people, including five Americans, in the Hebrew University bombing. Around 70 of them were released into Egypt.

On 20 January, Al Jazeera reported that at least three Palestinians were killed and eight others were injured by Israeli gunfire in Rafah, despite the ceasefire. In one such case Israeli forces opened fire on and killed 13-year old Zakariya Barbakh, then shot at locals who tried to retrieve his body. On 21 January, Wafa reported that two people were wounded by an Israeli drone and gunfire in Gaza. On 22 January, Israeli gunboats shelled towards the coast of Gaza city. On the same day, Israeli firing in Rafah's Shaboura camp killed at least one Palestinian and wounded others who were removing rubble from destroyed houses. Later the IDF spokesperson stated that, in accordance with the ceasefire terms, the IDF opened fire towards armed suspects and masked assailants who approached and posed a threat to IDF forces. During these incidents, a member of the Islamic Jihad organization named Akram 'Atf Farhan Zanoun was killed. On 23 January, two Palestinians were killed by Israeli tank fire in Tel al-Sultan refugee camp. On 28 January, two Palestinian civilians, including a five-year-old child, were killed by Israeli attacks while trying to return to Northern Gaza.

On 25 January, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari said that Hamas violated the hostage exchange agreement by releasing female soldiers before returning all civilian women. The prime minister issued a statement that as a result of the violation, Israel will not allow Gazans re-entrance to northern Gaza until the release of the final civilian woman, Arbel Yehud, who was supposed to be released on 25 January. Hamas responded that this was a technical issue. On the night between 26 and 27 January, Hamas announced that on 30 January, it would release three hostages, including Arbel Yehud, Agam Berger, and one other adult hostage. In response, the IDF allowed Gazans to cross the Netzarim area and return to the northern Gaza Strip.

On 25 January, Hamas violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement by failing to publish the list detailing the status of the hostages set to be released throughout the remainder of the first phase. During the night between 26 and 27 January, Hamas transmitted the list to Israel.

In Israel, the families of Israeli captives held by Hamas called on the US to pressure Netanyahu to reach a hostage release deal with Hamas. Protests broke out in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Protestors blocked the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, demanding the government reach a deal to secure the release of Israeli captives. Minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir and minister of finance Bezalel Smotrich threatened to resign if Israel agreed to the war cabinet's proposal prior to the destruction of Hamas. Opposition leader Yair Lapid offered to support the government if the proposal was signed. Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv the following day to express support of the deal and criticism towards Netanyahu. Shas, an ultra-orthodox Jewish party and Netanyahu's biggest coalition partner, said it would give its full support to the deal.

After Hamas announced its acceptance of the Egypt-Qatar counterproposal in May 2024, crowds gathered to celebrate in Rafah, Gaza Strip. On the Palestinian side the proposal was supported by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Ordinary Gazans expressed support for the proposal. According to Reuters, senior Hamas officials expressed skepticism that Israel was serious about reaching a deal.

The proposal was co-signed by pro-Israel representatives Brad Schneider and Steny Hoyer and Israeli-critical senator Peter Welch and representative Greg Casar. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer supported the deal. The proposal was opposed by senator Lindsey Graham, arguing that defeating Hamas was non-negotiable. Representative Mike Waltz argued that Hamas would be strengthened by continued discussions with Israel. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene referred to the plan as "Hamas First". After the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, President Biden said that the assassination "doesn't help" the Gaza ceasefire talks.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Hamas's acceptance of the Egyptian–Qatari proposal and hoped Israel will do the same. French president Emmanuel Macron urged Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas. UAE's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan supported Egyptian-Qatari mediations and hoped the proposal would result in ending both the war and the suffering of Palestinians. The Israeli proposal was endorsed by French president Emmanuel Macron, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and diplomats from the United Kingdom and Germany.

On 31 July 2024, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said that the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh indicates that Israel has no political will for a ceasefire. Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani asked "how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side?"

Following a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Smotrich published a video stating that his main goal was "the fulfilment of all the goals of the war". Smotrich later stated that the deal was "bad and dangerous" for the national security of the State of Israel. Netanyahu said he sees a new ceasefire as temporary. President Isaac Herzog gave a televised statement announcing the ceasefire, describing it as a "necessary move" for the return of Israeli hostages.

Hundreds of Israeli protesters gathered outside the Israel Defense Forces headquarters in Tel Aviv to demand that the ceasefire deal be executed completely.

A member of the Hamas political bureau Izzat al-Risheq, said that the ceasefire had met the group's conditions, further stating that the "occupier was brought to its knees,". Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya thanked the pro-Iran militias across the Middle East that launched attacks on Israel and opened "support fronts" to back Palestinians in Gaza, including the Houthis in Yemen and Lebanon's Hezbollah, He also shows gratitude to Qatar and Egypt for helping reach the ceasefire agreement as well as Turkey, South Africa and Malaysia for showing solidarity with Palestinians as well as protesters across the world that helped "break the silence" about atrocities in Gaza. al-Hayya later claimed that Israel had "failed" to achieve their publicly stated or "secret" goals in Gaza, including returning the captives by force, eliminating Hamas or displaсing the territory's population.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad celebrated the ceasefire, saying that the "honourable" ceasefire deal was produced by the "legendary steadfastness" of Palestinians, the group further stated that it will remain active and vigilant to ensure the full implementation of the agreement.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine celebrated the ceasefire, stating that "Gaza defeats the genocide".

The secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative Mustafa Barghouti said that the ceasefire is a "moment of relief" but also warned the people in Gaza that they will likely face three days of intensified bombing before it goes into effect on 19 January.

After news of a ceasefire agreement, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip broke out into celebrations, including Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital and Deir el-Balah hospital in Deir al-Balah.

• Egypt: President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi welcomed the deal, stating that he stressed the importance of "accelerating the entry of urgent humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, to confront the current catastrophic humanitarian situation, without any obstacles". Former assistant foreign minister, Hussein Haridy stated that the agreement would open up the Rafah crossing on Gaza Strip's southern border.
• Qatar: Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani described the ceasefire as a "start" of what should be an effort by the international community to maintain lasting peace. He emphasized the role that involved parties played in advancing negotiations, including White House National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk and the United States president-elect's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said that both parties agreed that the ceasefire will take hold in 19 January, he further said that any disagreements were ironed out during the talks, saying "We are hopeful that the deal will hold".
• Saudi Arabia: The Foreign Ministry says it values the role that Qatar, Egypt and the US played in reaching the agreement, also saying that it should address the root causes of the conflict and establish a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
• United Kingdom: Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his support for the deal, emphasizing that it would end the conflict which was "triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust". He added that "The hostages, who were brutally ripped from their homes on that day and held captive in unimaginable conditions ever since, can now finally return to their families". Furthermore, he underscored the importance of remembering "those who won't make it home – including the British people who were murdered by Hamas. We will continue to mourn and remember them". In addition, he expressed hope that the ceasefire would help innocent Palestinians in Gaza and "allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza".
• United States: President-elect Donald Trump publicly acknowledged the deal's achievement of a hostage exchange on his Truth Social platform. During a U.S. Senate confirmation hearing for Marco Rubio as United States Secretary of State, Senator Jim Risch announced that the ceasefire had been agreed to by both parties. Senator Bernie Sanders welcomed the ceasefire, further saying that the war crimes of both sides should face accountability. Vice president Kamala Harris credited the leadership of president Joe Biden for the ceasefire, also thanking the leaders of Egypt and Qatar. She further stated that "We will never forget the lives taken as a result of the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, and the horrors endured by countless innocent people in the war that follow". Biden said that his team and Trump's team "worked as one" to make the deal.
• Yemen: Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul Salam stated that the Palestinian cause remains a primary issue, further stating on X that "The Israeli invasion of Gaza left our people no choice but to support, taking responsibility towards an oppressed people.
• Argentina: President Javier Milei posted on his X account that he hopes Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are successful "in the process of liberating the 98 people abducted by the terrorist group Hamas, among whom are nine Argentines". And he added that "from Argentina, we will do everything we can to heal our countrymen and put an end to this scourge," referring to the hostages with dual Argentine-Israeli citizenship.

• The Committee to Protect Journalists requested that Israeli, Palestinian, and Egyptian authorities grant access to international journalists in order to "independently investigate the deliberate targeting of journalists that has been widely documented".
• Chief of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed a ceasefire, saying "peace is the best medicine" as health needs in Gaza remain "enormous".
• Chief of the World Food Programme Cindy McCain called for resources, access and protection to allow its teams to scale up aid to the Gaza strip, welcoming the ceasefire.
• The secretary general of Amnesty International, Agnès Callamard says that while the ceasefire deal may provide a "glimmer of hope" for Palestinians, it is "terribly overdue", she also called out the international community's failure to pressure Israel to live up to its legal obligations and allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza.
• Council on American–Islamic Relations director Nihad Awad praised president-elect Trump for pushing for ceasefire which they claimed Biden failed to do a year earlier.
• President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Mirjana Spoljaric Egger said it is ready to help implement the ceasefire agreement and facilitate the release of captives and prisoners, also stating that they are prepared to massively scale up their humanitarian response in Gaza.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire, stating that the "priority now must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict".
• International Rescue Committee head David Miliband said that the organization is ready to expand its operations after the ceasefire.
• The Palestinian advocacy group US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action (USCPR - Action) leader Ahmad Abuznaid said that the "age of Israel's impunity must now come to a swift end" and anybody that "enabled the genocide" must be held accountable.
• CEO of Save the children Inger Ashing said that if the agreement was fully implemented, the pause will "bring them vital reprieve from the bombs and bullets that have stalked them for more than a year. But it is not enough and the race is on to save children facing hunger and disease as the shadow of famine looms."

Marwan Bishara, the senior political analyst at Al Jazeera English, stated the proposed ceasefire contained a strategy of "ambiguity" but that,

The Israeli prime minister himself says Israel won't stop the war until it destroys Hamas... So while everyone in Washington is trying to spin it as if there is confliction and controversy, there really isn't. It's quite simple: Netanyahu does not want to end the war.

Writing in Le Monde diplomatique, Adam Shatz said that Israel had taken advantage of the United States' facilitation of a peace process to assassinate Ismail Haniyeh and Hassan Nasrallah, writing that,

Netanyahu helped the Americans to draft a ceasefire proposal he had no intention of honouring, while conspiring to kill the Arab leaders with whom the ceasefire was to be reached.

The Institute for the Study of War stated on 16 January that Hamas would likely reorganize and relocate its cells around the Gaza Strip but that the ceasefire period is too short for reorganizing the cells back into a proper military hierarchy. The large-scale replacement of personnel, equipment, and supplies is expected to take months without Israeli interference.

Following the implementation of the ceasefire on 19 January, multiple news outlets, including Israeli media, stated that Israel had ultimately failed to destroy Hamas, which retains control over the Gaza Strip.