<p>UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.</p><p>"After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the long-overdue news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have desperately been waiting for. They have borne the brunt of this conflict – triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7th, 2023.</p><p>"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. But we should also use this moment to pay tribute to those who won’t make it home – including the British people who were murdered by Hamas. We will continue to mourn and remember them.</p><p>"For the innocent Palestinians whose homes turned into a warzone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza. And then our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people – grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state.</p><p>"The UK and its allies will continue to be at the forefront of these crucial efforts to break the cycle of violence and secure long-term peace in the Middle East."</p>

<p>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday evening with US President-elect Donald Trump.</p><p>"The Prime Minister thanked US President-elect Trump for his help in advancing the release of the hostages, and for assisting Israel in bringing an end to the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.</p><p>"The Prime Minister emphasized that he is committed to bringing all the hostages home by any means, and congratulated the US President-elect on his statement that the United States will work with Israel to ensure that Gaza will never be a refuge for terrorism."</p><p>"The two leaders agreed to meet soon in Washington to discuss this and other important matters," the statement added.</p><p>"Following that, Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden, and thanked him as well for his help in advancing the hostage deal."</p>

<p>Former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on X, “I welcome the agreement reached that will ensure the return of 33 hostages to Israel.</p><p>"Thank you to the outgoing U.S. Administration and incoming U.S. President Trump, for exerting pressure on all parties and securing an agreement for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.</p><p>"The State of Israel is committed to returning all the hostages home - we must continue taking every measure necessary to fulfill this mission swiftly.</p><p>"Tonight, I salute those who paid the price to make this agreement possible - our courageous troops and service-members. The wounded and the fallen heroes who fought fiercely against a brutal enemy and created the conditions necessary to bring our people home,” Gallant said.</p>

<p>The IDF Spokesperson updated that a short time ago, munitions exploded at a training base in southern Israel. </p><p>The incident is being investigated. </p>

Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar spoke about the hostage deal with Roman Jews before departing Europe for Israel.

Sirens sounded in Nir Am in the Gaza envelope

<p>Following the sirens that sounded at 10:56 p.m. in Nir Am, it was determined to be a false identification, the IDF said.</p>

Minister Smotrich voiced his strong opposition to the deal that was reached between Israel and Hamas and restated that his party would only remain in the government if Israel returned to the fighting.