Podcast Episode Details
Back to Podcast Episodes
Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-05 at 18:05
HEADLINES
Hamas Hostage Deal Near, Week's End Possible
Trump Plan Drives Talks Toward Gaza Ceasefire
High Court Clears Shin Bet Nomination
The time is now 2:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the 2:00 PM update. A delicate pause in the Gaza war persists as mediators say they will know by the end of the week whether Hamas is moving toward a hostage deal, a signal that diplomatic momentum remains alive even as fighting continues around the Gaza Strip. An Israeli official told mediators that “we’ll know very quickly—by the end of the week—whether Hamas is heading toward a deal or not,” a stance underscored by ongoing discussions in the region and with Egyptian mediators preparing to host talks in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Alongside the hostage negotiations, the broader political backdrop remains unsettled. In Washington, discussion continues around a plan laid out by President Donald Trump to end the Gaza war. Delegations are reportedly preparing to meet in Egypt on Monday to discuss a 20-point ceasefire framework, with Israeli negotiators led by Minister Ron Dermer and US envoy Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff joining the mediators. Observers note the Trump plan has energized both sides to signal willingness to engage, even as domestic political dynamics complicate the path forward.
On the ground in Gaza and surrounding theaters, there are reports about Hamas’s posture and the grounds for any potential disarmament agreement. A Saudi channel, Al Arabiya, cited a Hamas source claiming the group has begun gathering dead hostages and that negotiators are seeking to halt Israeli airstrikes temporarily to complete the exchange. The source described a phased release of hostages, with living captives handled in one phase and deceased hostages in a longer process, and claimed there were American guarantees through Qatar for a permanent Israeli withdrawal and that weapons would be transferred to a Palestinian-Egyptian authority under international supervision. Israeli officials, meanwhile, have been pressing mediators to secure a broader ceasefire and a withdrawal to previous lines while agreeing to prisoner release criteria that prioritize older, longer-serving inmates.
Analysts are asking hard questions about the long-term security picture if a deal is reached. One analysis argues that any agreement must address the danger Hamas would continue to pose if it regains governance in Gaza, and whether an armed force could be reined in while international guarantors supervise a settlement. There is also emphasis on the need for credible enforcement mechanisms if a withdrawal takes place and a future stability framework is to be sustained.
In Israel’s domestic arena, the political landscape remains tense as talks advance. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition faces pressure from ultra-nationalist allies who have expressed skepticism about the US framework and the pace of diplomacy. At the same time, former prime ministerial candidates and current lawmakers have debated how to proceed, including a proposal from former interim leader Yair Lapid offering a safety net to implement a Trump-backed Gaza deal, potentially enabling cooperation with more skeptical ministers on the right. In parallel, the High Court ruled that the government may proceed with the appointment of Shin Bet chief David Zini, rejecting requests to delay the nomination even as three former Shin Bet chiefs had pressed to cancel the appointment.
On the security front, the IDF continues to adjust to a shifting battlefield. The army’s assessment remains that no ceasefire has been declared, but commanders say the conduct of operations has changed to reflect a new phase of the war—one in which diplomacy is being actively pursued while combat readiness remains intact. In the Gaza Strip, the IDF has conducted operations and dr
Published on 1 month ago