Podcast Episode Details

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-29 at 22:07

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HEADLINES
72-hour hostage return in 20-point Gaza plan
Regional backers rally behind Gaza plan
Eleven Israeli soldiers wounded in Hamas incursion

The time is now 6:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

From six o’clock this evening, here is the hourly update on the Gaza crisis and the broader regional diplomacy surrounding it.

The centerpiece remains the Gaza plan unveiled by the United States and backed by Israel. The plan lays out twenty points aimed at ending the war with Hamas, restoring hostages, and reshaping Gaza’s political and security landscape. The core timeline calls for the return of all hostages living and dead within seventy-two hours of a ceasefire. It envisions a redeveloped Gaza described as a new Gaza, with a governance and security framework intended to prevent a relapse into war and to ensure humanitarian relief reaches civilians. Many details, including the specifics of governance in Gaza, security arrangements, and the role of external forces, are left to negotiators to hash out. The plan underscores conditions for progress that Israel has long cited: the need to address the presence and power of Hamas, the protection of Israeli security, and the avoidance of unilateral steps that could undermine stability. In Israel’s view, the plan advances peace through strength, tying humanitarian relief and hostage releases to verifiable steps on the ground and a credible path away from Hamas influence.

In Washington and Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed support for the plan, signaling that Israel has the United States’ backing to move forward if Hamas accepts the terms. President Donald Trump has described the framework as a serious effort to end the war, while stressing that if Hamas rejects it, Israel has strong support to proceed with its own security objectives. The two leaders, following discussions at the White House, emphasized that the alliance remains key to shaping a durable outcome in Gaza and a broader regional posture that discourages new rounds of confrontation.

Hamas officials and their mediators say they will study the proposal in good faith and respond in due course. The group has not yet endorsed the plan, and it is clear that acceptance will depend on whether the package is judged to protect Palestinian rights, ensure humanitarian relief, and avoid a future framework that would leave Hamas without a role in Gaza. Complicating the calculus is a perception among some Palestinian factions and regional actors that the plan may not fully resolve questions about sovereignty, governance, and the nature of security guarantees. The Palestinian Authority has indicated it will not take part in day-to-day governance in Gaza under the plan, a position that has informed discussions about a broader vision of peace and the future political map in the West Bank and Gaza.

Reactions across the region were mixed but broadly leaned toward cautious support for engaging with the American proposal. A joint statement from regional capitals that have supported the process—Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and others—welcomed the United States’ constructive role and expressed readiness to cooperate with Washington and others to finalize and implement the agreement. They underscored the importance of maintaining humanitarian relief, securing the release of hostages, and advancing a comprehensive peace process grounded in security for Israel and a sustainable path for Palestinians. France’s president offered public support, urging Israel to remain faithful to the plan and to pursue the path of negotiations toward an end to the war and the release of all hostages. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the United States’ efforts and described them as a step toward achieving a just and lasting peace, while emphasizing Turkey’s continued engagement in the p

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Published on 1 month ago