GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "News Hour."

Israel and Hamas have signed the agreement that President Trump proposed to pause their devastating two-year war.

Under the terms, Hamas will release all 20 living hostages in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, while the Israeli military will begin pulling back, but stay inside Gaza.

AMNA NAWAZ: Tonight, the Pentagon announced that the U.S.

is sending 200 troops to help -- quote -- "support and monitor" the peace deal.

But uncertainty remains about some of the thornier aspects of the plan, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza.

Nick Schifrin has that report.

NICK SCHIFRIN: In Gaza City today, medics make their way to a central square, but not to rescue it, instead to celebrate and savor the sweetness of what they hope is no more war.

NOUH AL-SHAGHNOUBY, Palestinian Civil Defense (through translator): Honestly, these are indescribable feelings.

We can't believe it.

But thank God the war has ended and we are alive.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Forty-five miles to the north, in Tel Aviv, singing and group hugs.

Gil Dickmann has been leading protests in the city's Hostage Square.

His cousin, Carmel Gat, was killed in Hamas captivity last August.

GIL DICKMANN, Protest Leader: She's not going to come back.

It's too late for her, but it's not too late for 48 hostages who are going to come back; 20 of them are going to come back alive.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Both sides today portrayed victory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met his government with U.S.

negotiators Ambassador Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

And Hamas' Gaza head, Khalil al-Hayya, described today's agreement as the U.S.-guaranteed end of the war.

KHALIL AL-HAYYA, Gaza Hamas Chief (through translator): We have received guarantees from the mediating brothers and from the American administration, all of whom confirm that the war has ended completely.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Over the next 24 hours, the Israeli military will withdraw to this yellow line inside of Gaza, giving them control of 53 percent of the Strip.

Within 72 hours after that, Hamas must release all 48 living and deceased hostages, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.

Israel has also agreed to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The deal was sealed overnight in an Egyptian conference room with representatives from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Hamas.

Today, Witkoff and Kushner also met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and envisioned a broader regional peace.

JARED KUSHNER, Former Senior Presidential Adviser: I really hope that what we were able to accomplish over the last months and particular days doesn't just end this war, but also has the opportunity to continue what we worked on last time, to bring the countries of the region closer together.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: And all Americans should be proud of the role that our country has played in bringing this terrible conflict to an end.

NICK SCHIFRIN: At a White House Cabinet meeting, President Trump called the deal momentous.

DONALD TRUMP: Very much involved.

I have never said I think quite like it.

But it's really peace in the Middle East.

NICK SCHIFRIN: On Sunday, President Trump will head to Israel, where some are ready to give him a hero's welcome.

WOMAN: I love you, Trump.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Israel's been waiting for this for 733 days, and the families of the living hostages hold their breath, desperate for reunions, nervous about disruptions.

MATAN ESHET, Cousin of Hostage: I got really excited and really anxious as well.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Twenty-eight-year-old Matan Eshet spoke to our producer Karl Bostic.

He's the cousin of Evyatar David, one of the first kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 from the Nova Music Festival.

In August, Hamas released a haunting video of David malnourished.

MATAN ESHET: Hamas starved Evyatar deliberately and filmed him looking like a skeleton digging his own grave.

The only thing I think about is what Evyatar has been going through.

There's been days that I couldn't think about what's wrong with me because the only thing I have in my mind is, what's Evyatar going through?

Does he know which day is it today?

Did he get some food today?

Did they beat him today?

NICK SCHIFRIN: Like everyone here, Eshet is grateful for U.S.

leadership.

MATAN ESHET: I can't gather the words to thank President Trump for helping us making this deal, making the previous deal as well, putting his food down and saying it's going to happen, and it is.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But as he walks through this crowd that's gathered weekly for two years, he's worried the war isn't really over.

MATAN ESHET: I'm scared that Hamas will stay in power, and I'm hopeful that the entire international community will put their foot down and make sure that Hamas will not be in power again.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But that's politics.

His personal prayers for his friend is that he will be the man he once was.

MATAN ESHET: He will start to get the treatment that he needs physically, mentally, and we're hopeful that he will go back to as close to normal life that he had before.

Evyatar was kidnapped at 22.

He's 24 already.

KARL BOSTIC: So he's going through two birthdays?

MATAN ESHET: Two birthdays.

And we are close to his third.

I'm just joyful that he will have his birthday back home.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And, tonight, senior U.S.

officials said some 200 U.S.

troops will be sent to Israel, not Gaza, as part of a -- quote -- "oversight force."

They will not work -- they will work not only with Israeli forces, but also troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, countries that could end up part of the international security force, Geoff, that is supposed to secure Gaza long term.

GEOFF BENNETT: And, Nick, how narrow is phase one compared to some of the longer-term challenges for peace in Gaza?

NICK SCHIFRIN: It's very narrow.

You're absolutely right.

This is entirely focused on what we just highlighted, the hostage release, the movement of Israeli troops within Gaza and the release of those Palestinian detainees.

And, as we have discussed, phase two, so-called phase two, has huge challenges, Hamas' demilitarization, which a senior U.S.

official tonight actually called decommissioning, that international security force that I just mentioned, and the creation of new governance in Gaza.

None of that's going to happen quickly.

GEOFF BENNETT: The Hamas perspective was included in your report, but what are Israeli officials saying about how they intend to implement this plan?

NICK SCHIFRIN: It really depends on who you ask, Geoff.

So, the foreign minister was on FOX News earlier today, and he said the hostage release should -- quote -- "bring the end to this war."

But you spoke to the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Michael Leiter, and we will hear that soon.

And he said that the war would restart if Hamas doesn't disarm.

The Israeli government is not unanimous.

Even tonight, we're seeing that Bezalel Smotrich, the far right minister, said he would vote against this deal because of the release of what he called the next generation of terror leadership.

That is the release of the Palestinian detainees.

He posted that on X. So I think Israel's future actions very much depend not only on phase one, just the next couple days, but also what happens on phase two.

And frankly, Geoff, the war still isn't over.

There's still not a cease-fire.

You see this video from earlier today.

That's tank fire on one of the main roads going from North to South Gaza.

And Palestinians tonight reported some airstrikes, including one that hit a residential building.

And so very much hope tonight in Gaza that this war is actually over, and the hope is in Israel as well, but it's not quite over yet.

GEOFF BENNETT: Nick Schifrin, our thanks to you for that reporting.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Thank you.