Irish artists, politicians and more react to news of Gaza ceasefire deal

Israel and Hamas have reportedly signed off on the first phase of a peace plan aimed at a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners.

US President Donald Trump announced the news on social media early this morning. He wrote that under the deal, all captives would be released "very soon" and Israel would pull troops back to an agreed line.

It followed last week's US-developed 20-point plan to end violence in Gaza, which was received positively by Israel, Hamas and most of the world. The agreement was negotiated with the help of mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

Israeli officials claimed a ceasefire is set to be applied tonight once the deal is ratified. In a statement, Hamas called on the US and international actors to "compel the occupation government to fully implement the agreement’s requirements and not allow it to evade or delay the implementation of what has been agreed upon."

Reactions to the news have poured in from Gaza, Israel and around the world. Video footage from those on the ground, such as Palestinian journalist Wissam Nassar, shows Gazans flooding the streets to celebrate.

 

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A post shared by Wissam Nassar (@wissamgaza)

Irish-Palestinian artist Roisin El Cherif took to Instagram to repost videos of murdered Palestinian journalist Anas Al Sharif announcing the previous ceasefire back in January, captioned "I wish you would announce a ceasefire right now."

Al Sharif, one of the most prominent frontline reporters in Gaza, and his team of five Al Jazeera reporters were killed in a targeted strike by Israel in August.

El Cherif also reposted videos of killed Palestinian civilians and wrote, "All the beautiful souls stolen. To grieve you in peace. A gift."

Game Of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham also reposted news of the ceasefire and footage of people celebrating on Instagram.

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) said it "tentatively welcomes" the news in a statement released this afternoon.

"For two years we have been to the fore in a mass movement demanding the immediate end of Israel’s genocidal assault and campaign of mass starvation, and pushing for actions by our own government to sanction and isolate the apartheid Israeli regime," IPSC said.

"We pay tribute to all those the length and breadth of Ireland who have been tirelessly marching, agitating, educating, organising, lobbying, disrupting, sailing, and doing whatever they can for the last two years to help end the genocide."

IPSC emphasised that while the details of the deal are not yet finalised, "no agreement can dissolve the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, freedom, justice, equality and return."

"Nor can any agreement absolve Israel of its disgusting crimes of genocide, enforced starvation, apartheid, colonialism and illegal occupation – there must, and will, be accountability," IPSC said.

"We in the IPSC will not stop our work in support of the Palestinian freedom struggle, nor our activism to hold the nuclear-armed, genocidal, apartheid state of Israel, its leaders, its functionaries, and its international partners and enablers, accountable for their crimes against the Palestinian people."

Tánaiste Simon Harris released a statement this morning saying he "strongly welcomes" the announcement, adding, "my thoughts today are with the people of Gaza, who have suffered so much, and with the hostages and their families."

"This historic moment, if grasped by all, can finally end the unconscionable human suffering," Harris said.

"It can stop the dreadful bombing, silence the guns, end the famine and genocide, and allow a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza...Ireland stands ready to assist in every practical way to achieve peace and to end human suffering."

In a separate statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Harris said he has instructed Irish officials "to intensify preparations for a substantial contribution to Gaza."

"This contribution will be two-fold, both in respect of the immediate surge in humanitarian aid that is needed without delay and a broader package for the reconstruction of Gaza," said Harris, adding that 1,500 tents — half of which are from Irish aid stock — are being loaded today for delivery to Gaza.

In a post on X, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he urges "all sides to fully abide by this ceasefire and for the release of all hostages, and an immediate surge of humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine."

"I commend the diplomatic efforts by the US, and partners across the region and call on all sides to work towards a permanent and just peace," said Martin, adding, "The war and the killing must stop."

I welcome the announcement of a ceasefire agreement and hostage release deal in Gaza.

I urge all sides to fully abide by this ceasefire and for the release of all hostages, and an immediate surge of humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine. (1/2)

— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) October 9, 2025

UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised "the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt & Türkiye" in negotiating the "desperately needed" deal.

"I urge all concerned to abide fully by the terms of the agreement," said Guterres on X.

"The UN will support the full implementation of the agreement & will scale up the delivery of sustained & principled humanitarian relief, and we will advance recovery & reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

"I urge all stakeholders 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, leading to a two-state solution to enable Israelis & Palestinians to live in peace & security. The stakes have never been higher."

Philippe Lazzarini, chief of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), called the deal a "huge relief" on X.

"It will bring respite to people who survived the worst bombardment, displacement, loss and grief for two long years," Lazzarini said.

"After their excruciating ordeal, hostages & Palestinian detainees will finally join their families."

He added that UNRWA has food, medicine and other humanitarian aid "ready to go to Gaza" and called on all UN member states to support UNRWA "in the coming critical period."

"We have enough to provide food for the entire population for the coming three months," Lazzarini said.

"Our teams in Gaza are crucial for the implementation of this agreement including to provide basic services like healthcare + education. There are over 660,000 children who are eagerly waiting to go back to school. UNRWA teachers stand ready to help them fulfill that."

Earlier this year, a prisoner exchange and armistaice took place between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, though Israel frequently hindered access to aid and continued to kill Palestinian civilians during the temporary ceasefire. Israel broke the ceasefire in March by launching surprise attacks on Gaza.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al Jazeera Arabic this afternoon that Israel has begun to "manipulate the dates, the lists, and some of the procedures and steps agreed upon in the ceasefire agreement."

"We are in contact with the mediators to oblige the occupation to comply with what was agreed upon, and not to allow it to procrastinate," said Qassem according to Al Jazeera.

"There was talk with friends about a ceasefire at noon this day, but the occupation, for internal considerations, is postponing the announcement to other dates. We continue to say that the occupation must abide by what was agreed upon, and we call on the mediators to work to oblige it."

Earlier today, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire deal would only go into effect after it was approved in a cabinet meeting at 6:00 p.m. local time.

Shosh Bedrosian, an Israeli government spokesperson, said this afternoon that the ceasefire would go into affect within 24 hours of the cabinet meeting.

Since the news was announced this morning, Israel has continued attacking multiple locations in Gaza. The Israeli military has told press it will stop its offensive operations and withdraw once the ceasefire takes effect.