⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠An Egyptian war veteran expressed optimism about the situation in Gaza when commenting on the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal that took effect on Friday. Israel and Hamas signed the ceasefire agreement on Thursday in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El Sheikh, bringing hope for an end to a war that has killed over 67,000 Palestinians in the enclave, a majority of them women and children. Speaking to China Global Television Network (CGTN), General Usama Kabier, an Egyptian war veteran and a chief at the Command and Staff College at Egypt's Ministry of Defense, said that it's a new day for Gaza after two years of conflict. The first phase of the peace plan, achieved after three days of intensive negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and the United States, includes the Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza City, the north, Rafah, and Khan Younis, the opening of five crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages and prisoners. Kabier said that it is a significant milestone to having this agreement signed in Egypt. Meanwhile, Kabier voiced doubts over whether the ceasefire would be fully implemented, stressing that the road ahead remains uncertain. Shotlist: Gaza Strip - Oct 10, 2025: 1. Various of crowds of displaced people heading home, trucks packed with belongings; Egypt - Oct 11, 2025 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Usama Kabier, chief, Command and Staff College, Egypt's Ministry of Defense (ending with shot 3): "Everyone is happy. I would say it's a new day in Gaza after two years, not another day, it's a new day totally, and it seems to be strong this time at least for the first phase. Generally, I'm optimistic about that."; Gaza Strip - Oct 10, 2025 3. Various of crowds of displaced people heading home, trucks packed with belongings; FILE: Cairo, Egypt - July 24, 2022 4. Egyptian national flag, building; FILE: Cairo, Egypt - April 6, 2019 5. Egyptian national flag; Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt - Oct 7, 2025 6. Various of traffic; Egypt - Oct 11, 2025 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Usama Kabier, chief, Command and Staff College, Egypt's Ministry of Defense (starting with shot 6/ending with shots 8-9): "Egypt has taken the responsibility of this Palestinian sophisticated and complicated problem since 78 years ago, so we know it very much. It's a strategic depth to Egypt's eastern borders, also Palestine for Egypt is an issue of national security. We know about Palestinians well, we know about Israelis too, we know how to negotiate with both peoples."; FILE: Tel Aviv, Israel - June 2021 8. National flags of Israel; FILE: Jerusalem - Nov 1, 2022 9. Various of Israeli Parliament Knesset; Gaza Strip - Sept 30, 2025 10. Various of broken flag of Palestine; Egypt - Oct 11, 2025 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Usama Kabier, chief, Command and Staff College, Egypt's Ministry of Defense (ending with shot 12): "From the Israeli side, as you understand, it happens every time. You put the agreements, you put the ratifications, everybody would sign and suddenly they violate that, they break it. So hopefully they wouldn't do it this time. So these are only the two concerns that I have in my mind for Hamas and Israel."; Gaza City, Gaza Strip - Recent 12. Various of destroyed buildings, rubble, people clearing rubble; 13. Various of displaced people with belongings, vehicles; Egypt - Oct 11, 2025 14. SOUNDBITE (English) Usama Kabier, chief, Command and Staff College, Egypt's Ministry of Defense (partially overlaid with shot 15): "Let me tell you, first I'm happy for the sake of the people in Gaza Strip. For the very first phase, I think they will do it, it will succeed a 100 percent no problem. Maybe I'm suspicious about the second and third phases, because there's no timeline for that up till now, you will never know when it will stop and when will it end. We need to finish the whole thing quickly because it's sort of an accumulative truce."; Central Gaza Strip - Oct 9, 2025 [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 15. Various of street with pedestrians, tents, stalls; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 16. Pedestrians. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]