Gazans call for immediate implementation of ceasefire deal

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Gazans call for immediate implementation of ceasefire deal

2025-10-09 16:04 Last Updated At：18:37

Gazans have urged for an immediate implementation of a ceasefire in the war-torn enclave as mediators said Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan paving way to a ceasefire.

Egypt's Al-Qahera News TV reported Thursday that the mediators in the Israel-Hamas talks said that an agreement covering all provisions and implementation mechanisms related to the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal has been reached and a final draft of the agreement is underway.

The deal is expected to lead to an end to the two-year-old war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave, "with further details to be announced later," said the report.

The announcement came following three days of indirect talks between Hamas and Israel in Egypt's resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh to negotiate the Trump-proposed peace plan.

Also on Thursday, Hamas confirmed that it has reached an agreement with other Palestinian factions to end the war in Gaza, ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces, allow the entry of humanitarian aid, and carry out a prisoner exchange with Israel.

Prior to the announcement, residents in the Gaza Strip expressed their hope for a long-anticipated end to the destruction and a return to peace.

"Gaza has been destroyed. This time, we truly hope the war will end completely," said Jalal Al-Ajla, a resident of Gaza.

"We hope things will move toward a good direction and that peace will finally come," said Mahmoud Hamouda, another resident of Gaza.

"We hope everything will develop toward a good direction, and a solution is found that protects the people," said Abu Al-Amir Daoud, still another resident of Gaza.

Since Oct 7, 2023, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and injured nearly 170,000 others, causing massive destruction to infrastructure and worsening humanitarian conditions in the enclave, according to Gaza's health authorities.

EU expects economy to expand moderately

The European Commission's autumn 2025 economic forecast shows that driven by a surge in exports in anticipation of U.S. tariff increases, the European Union's (EU) economy maintained growth in the third quarter of this year, and it is expected to continue expanding at a moderate pace over the forecast horizon.

In the report released on Monday, the Commission said the gross domestic product (GDP) of the EU is expected to grow 1.4 percent in 2025, with the eurozone expanding 1.3 percent. Growth in 2026 is forecast at 1.4 percent for the EU and 1.2 percent for the eurozone, both slightly lower than projections made in May.

Eurozone headline inflation is projected to ease to 2.1 percent this year from 2.4 percent in 2024. Inflation across the EU is seen declining from 2.6 percent in 2024 to 2.2 percent in 2027, remaining slightly above the eurozone rate.

Due to the increase in defence spending, the EU's fiscal deficit is expected to rise to 3.4 percent of GDP in 2027 from 3.1 percent in 2024. The EU debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to rise from 84.5 percent in 2024 to 85 percent in 2027, with the eurozone ratio set to rise from around 88 percent to 90.4 percent.

The forecast noted that globally, trade barriers have reached historic highs, and the EU now faces higher average tariffs on exports to the U.S. compared with the spring forecast. Persistent trade policy uncertainty continues to weigh on economic activity, with tariffs and non-tariff restrictions potentially constraining EU growth more than expected. Any escalation in geopolitical tensions could intensify supply shocks, it noted.