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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-09 at 02:09
HEADLINES
Ceasefire Brokered 72-Hour Hostage Countdown Begins
2,000 Palestinians to Be Freed in Exchange
US-Led Mediation Seeks Lasting Peace Amid Iran
The time is now 10:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
A ceasefire deal brokered by the United States between Israel and Hamas was announced in Sharm el-Sheikh, marking the first phase of a broader plan intended to end the war in Gaza and begin the return of hostages. The accord contemplates a staged hostage release and prisoner exchange, with a timetable that includes a 72‑hour countdown for Hamas to free the remaining hostages and for Israel to begin withdrawing its forces to a line agreed with the mediators. The parties talk of a broader pullback and humanitarian access, with international mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey and the United States coordinating to advance a durable arrangement.
On the humanitarian front, the deal calls for large-scale aid into Gaza and a sequence of prisoner releases. Approximately 2,000 Palestinians held since the October 7, 2023 conflict are expected to be freed, including about 1,700 detainees in Gaza and 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life terms inside Israeli jails. In exchange, Hamas agreed to release numerous living hostages and the remains of those killed, with the timing and specifics still subject to finalization. Israel has signaled it would release a portion of Palestinian prisoners only after the hostage phase is complete, with talks over the identities of those freed continuing up to the final moments before any signature.
Israel reaffirmed its security posture and its responsibility to protect its citizens. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly expressed his intent to bring every hostage home, noting that the work would proceed with God’s help and the support of allies. The government is slated to meet to ratify the deal, with the cabinet convening to authorize the steps necessary for the initial phase, followed by a government session to formalize the agreement. Israeli officials stressed that the operation would be conducted with strict discipline, and that the army would remain ready to respond to any threat or deterioration in the security environment.
The United States has positioned itself as a central guarantor and facilitator of the discussions, with President Donald Trump publicly praising the accord as a moment when “the world has come together.” Trump indicated he may travel to the region in the near future and suggested he could address the Knesset if invited. US officials and other mediators have emphasized that the deal represents a significant step toward ending hostilities and delivering relief to civilians in Gaza, while maintaining the security objectives that Israel insists are essential. The administration has also underscored that the arrangements depend on the parties implementing their agreed obligations, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the safe passage of humanitarian aid.
Hamas, for its part, said it had reached an agreement that ends the war, with a withdrawal of Israeli troops and the entry of aid into Gaza, and it stressed its aim to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners. Mediators in Sharm el-Sheikh said the terms cover all provisions and implementation mechanisms for the first phase, with details to be announced later. In parallel, a broader regional context remains afoot, as Iran’s allies in the region—Hamas in Gaza and other proxies such as the Houthis in Yemen—continue to influence security calculations and regional alignments. Analysts note that while progress is being made in Gaza, broader questions about Iran’s influence and the balance of power in the Middle East persist, shaping how the ceasefire will hold and what a long-term peace framework might look like.
Domestically in Israel, the government has signaled a unit
Published on 4 weeks ago