CARICOM welcomes GAZA peace deal with “cautious optimism”

Oct 11, 2025 News

…calls on signatories to honour agreement

(Kaieteur News) – The Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Friday said it welcomes with “cautious optimism” the agreement reached on the initial phase of a peace plan for Gaza.

“We view this development as a critical step toward alleviating the immense suffering of the Palestinian people, and the safe return of the Israeli hostages,” a statement issued by the CARICOM Secretariat said.

CARICOM said it considers the stipulated terms—including a sustained pause in hostilities, the withdrawal of military forces, the reciprocal release of hostages and prisoners, and the guarantee of immediate and safe humanitarian access—to be constructive and fundamental.

As such, CARICOM calls on all signatories to honour the commitments in full and “ensure this first phase serves as a foundation for a permanent and unconditional ceasefire.”

“We reiterate that a just and lasting peace, in accordance with international law, can only be achieved through a negotiated Two-State Solution, which upholds the legitimate aspirations for security and dignity of both nations,” CARICOM said.

On Thursday, Aljazeera reported that Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza that has upended the Middle East.

Israelis and Palestinians alike rejoiced after the deal was announced, the biggest step yet to end two years of war in which over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, and return the last hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attacks that started it.

Hamas’ exiled Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya said he had received guarantees from the United States and other mediators that the war was over. Israel’s government, meanwhile, was meeting to ratify the agreement, which would clear the way for the ceasefire to take effect.

Under the deal, fighting will cease, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza and Hamas will free all remaining hostages in exchange for hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. Trump said the hostages should be released early next week.

Fleets of trucks carrying food and medical aid would be allowed to surge into Gaza to relieve civilians, hundreds of thousands of whom have been sheltering in tents after Israeli forces destroyed their homes and razed entire cities to dust.

HURDLES REMAIN

The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt a war that has deepened Israel’s international isolation and evolved into a regional conflict, drawing in Iran, Yemen and Lebanon.

Much could still go wrong. Even after the deal was signed, a Palestinian source said the list of Palestinians to be released was not finalised. The group is seeking freedom for some of the most prominent Palestinian convicts held in Israeli jails, as well as hundreds of people detained during Israel’s assault.

Further steps in Trump’s 20-point plan have yet to be discussed. Those include how the shattered Gaza Strip is to be ruled when the fighting ends and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has so far rejected Israel’s demands it disarm.

Netanyahu also faces skepticism from within his governing coalition. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would vote to bring down the government if Hamas is not dismantled. He also said he would vote against the deal, as expected.

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CARICOM, ceasefire, Gaza, peace deal

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