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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-07 at 13:06
HEADLINES
Syria SDF Ceasefire Takes Effect Now
Gaza Hostage Numbers Clash Trump Plan Emerges
Israel Intercepts Gaza Flotilla Amid Blockade Tension
The time is now 9:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At 9:00 AM, here is the day’s developing picture from the region and beyond. In a move that could cool some of the fire along Syria’s front lines, Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and SDF commander General Mazloum Abdi agreed to an immediate comprehensive ceasefire on all fronts in north and northeastern Syria. The ceasefire is in effect now, the defense ministry said, as clashes between the two sides have complicated a March agreement that aimed to integrate the Kurdish-led SDF into Syria’s state institutions.
Turning to Gaza, a public dispute over hostage numbers has surfaced. In an interview with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there are 46 hostages remaining in Gaza, down from 48, and he asserted that 20 are alive. That figure drew a strong response from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents families of those abducted on October 7, 2023, saying publicly that there are 48 hostages still held. The forum stressed that all 48 must come home, living or dead, and urged clarity from leaders about the status of every hostage.
World leaders observed the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack with renewed calls for a ceasefire and for the release of hostages, while closely watching the potential influence of President Trump’s proposed peace plan. The plan, presented with US and Israeli officials, would require Hamas to release all hostages within 72 hours, disarm, and cede control of Gaza to a transitional international authority, with negotiations aimed at a broader peace framework. Supporters say it could unlock a pathway to broader normalization in the region if implemented, while opponents warn of risks and delays. In parallel, a Qatari official noted that many details remain to be worked out, even as discussions center on a pathway that could see hostages returned within a two-year window.
Two years on from the October 7 shock, the Gaza war remains central in international discourse. Leaders have underscored that the lives and fate of hostages, as well as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, must be addressed as part of any durable settlement. In the realm of diplomacy, the Trump plan’s framework has been cited as a potential catalyst, with supporters arguing it could broaden regional peace efforts and extend the Abraham Accords beyond their current scope.
On the ground in Israel, a new documentary-style recounting of October 7 charts the fight at sea of the 7th Brigade and the desperate, sustained defense of communities along the Gaza envelope. The narrative highlights the courage of tank crews who faced overwhelming numerically superior forces, including multiple anti-tank strikes, and the way those fighters pressed on to defend civilians and prevent a wider incursion. As the film notes, twelve tanks faced thousands of Hamas operatives with RPGs and other weapons, and several crews paid a heavy price, including casualties and abductions. The account serves as a reminder of the intensity of that day and the resilience of those who stood firm under fire.
In domestic commemoration, ordinary citizens took part in a grassroots effort to refresh Dizengoff Square’s makeshift memorial to those who perished or were abducted on October 7, 2023. Volunteers cleaned the area and framed new rainproof photos of the nearly 2,000 people lost or missing in the war, underscoring a national impulse to honor victims while keeping hope alive for the hostages’ return. The fundraiser linked to the memorial has exceeded its needs, with any surplus aimed at assisting hostage rehabilitation when they come home.
On the di
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