From New York, this is Democracy Now.

Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing.

I'm not the only one happy.

All the Gaza Strip is happy.

All the Arab people.

All the world is happy with the ceasefire and the end of bloodshed.

Thank you and all the love to those who stood with us.

Celebrations break out in Gaza and Israel after President Trump announced Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a hostage ceasefire deal.

But questions remain over what happens next. We'll go to Gaza and Israel for response.

Then to Nelson Mandela's grandson, Mandela, back in South Africa, one of hundreds of global

smooth flotilla activists abducted by Israel on the high seas.

We were kidnapped on international waters.

Palestinians are attacked, maimed, and killed.

All that and more coming up.

Welcome to Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org, the War and Peace Report.

I'm Mimi Goodman. President Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal.

Trump announced the breakthrough in a post to his social media site, Truth Social Wednesday, writing, quote,

all the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel withdraws their troops to an

agreed-upon line, unquote.

Details of the first phase have not yet been officially released.

The Israeli government's meeting this afternoon to formally vote on the ceasefire deal.

Far-right ministers, including Bezalal-Smochuk and Itimar--Gavir, say they will not vote in favor of the plan, but have withdrawn threats to withdraw from Netanyahu's coalition government bringing it down.

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