Leaders react to agreement on first phase of Trump's Gaza deal

"Canada welcomes the agreement of Israel and Hamas to implement the first phase of the peace plan put forward by President Trump, and facilitated by Qatar, Egypt and Turkey.

"Canada will support all efforts to turn this positive step into lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians."

"I welcome the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, based on the proposal put forward by President Donald J. Trump. I commend the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in brokering this desperately needed breakthrough.

"I urge all concerned to abide fully by the terms of the agreement. All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The fighting must stop once and for all. Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza must be ensured. The suffering must end.

"I urge all stakeholders to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognising 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."

"Hamas needs to release all of the hostages and Israel must withdraw their troops to the agreed-upon line," Winston Peters said in a statement."

"This is an essential first step towards achieving lasting peace. We urge Israel and Hamas to continue working towards a complete resolution."

German chancellor Friedrich Merz

"We are encouraged by the developments in Israel. There is obviously a great chance of reaching an agreement with Hamas in the next few hours."

French president Emmanuel Macron

"This agreement must mark the end of the war and the beginning of a political solution based on the two-state solution," Macron said in posts on social media platform X.

"France stands ready to contribute to this goal. We will discuss it this afternoon in Paris with our international partners," he added.

"A big day for Israel ... Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home. I thank the heroic IDF soldiers and all the security forces - thanks to their courage and sacrifice, we have reached this day.

"I thank from the bottom of my heart President Trump and his team for their dedication to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages."

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen

"Now, all parties must fully uphold the terms of the agreement. All hostages must be released safely. A permanent ceasefire must be established. The suffering must end."