India, Oct. 9 -- World leaders on Thursday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas, which could help bring an end to the two-year war in Gaza.

Hamas will now release all the 20 living hostages in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

The deal has been praised internationally, with leaders from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the European Union, and others hailing it as a historic moment that could pave the way for a permanent solution to the war.

In the Palestinian Territories, President Mahmoud Abbas said he hoped the agreement "would be a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution," leading ...