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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-01 at 08:10
HEADLINES
US Gaza ceasefire plan seeks three stages
Hamas splits over ceasefire response widen risk
Senior Hamas commander killed amid Gaza fighting
The time is now 4:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
A fragile calm and a high-stakes diplomatic push shape this hour’s headlines from Israel and the broader region. On the diplomatic front, Washington has put forward a comprehensive Gaza ceasefire plan that seeks to end the current crisis through a three-stage process. The plan calls for a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, disarmament of Hamas, and the establishment of an international transitional authority to govern the enclave, with unfettered humanitarian aid. In exchange, Israel would release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, and 1,700 Gazans detained since the start of the conflict—including women and children—would be freed. In a further exchange, 48 remaining Israeli hostages would be released within 72 hours, and in return, Hamas would release the bodies of all hostages. The plan would also require Hamas to disarm and Gaza to be demilitarized, with a guarantee of unhindered humanitarian relief and a transition of governance to an international body without Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. Support for the proposal spans Western, Arab and Muslim states, with Russia and the Vatican signaling backing as well.
Hamas’s reaction has been far from uniform. A prominent Hamas official told a major international broadcaster that the plan serves Israel’s interests and ignores the Palestinian people’s rights, signaling a likely rejection. Other reporting indicates internal divisions within Hamas, with some Gaza-based leaders urging a positive, constructive response to arrive at an end to the fighting, while interlocutors outside Gaza underscore resistance to giving up leverage or accepting a long-term external security arrangement. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey have pressed Hamas to engage with the proposal, warning there may be no better deal and stressing the need to seize a path to ceasefire. At the same time, other voices inside the broader Palestinian leadership have questioned the plan’s terms, including the sequencing of hostage releases and the role of any international force in the territory.
International responses to the plan have been swift and varied. The Kremlin said it hopes the proposal will be implemented as a path to ending the bloodshed and expressed willingness to support steps toward a peaceful settlement. The Vatican’s leader joined others in offering cautious optimism, while some Western and Arab commentators urged Hamas to seize an opportunity to halt the conflict. On the American domestic side, supporters of the plan frame it as peace through strength—pushing for a durable end to hostilities with safeguards for civilians—while critics argue the terms could tilt balance unfavorably for the Palestinian side. The plan’s reception in the region remains contingent on Hamas’s next moves and the ability of mediators to secure a credible security framework and a credible humanitarian pathway.
Within Israel, political and security leadership continues to weigh the plan against ongoing battlefield realities. The government has emphasized security concerns as a core priority and has maintained that any settlement must preserve Israel’s ability to defend its citizens and prevent future attacks. In the backdrop of these deliberations, a senior Israeli official indicated that a long-standing figure in the security establishment will soon step back from his ministerial post but will continue to influence policy in specific arenas, including hostage negotiations and regional security alignments. This transition appears to come ahead of elections expected within the next couple of years and could influence the tempo and emphasis of talks with Hamas and its backers.
Published on 1 month ago