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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-10 at 09:06
HEADLINES
Gaza Ceasefire Takes Effect, Hostages Frontline
Indonesia Eyes Gaza Stabilization Troops
Likud Ponders Early Elections Amid Deal
The time is now 5:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Good morning. It is five o’clock in the morning, and the region is waking to the reality of a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that took effect after the Sharm el-Sheikh talks. The agreement envisions an immediate halt to hostilities, a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and a framework aimed at stabilizing the territory, with hostage releases front and center in the early stages while longer-term arrangements are worked out.
On the security front, a US-led coordination effort will establish a task force near Gaza, with approximately 200 Central Command personnel. They will monitor developments and help prevent violations, incursions, or other missteps. There will be no American ground troops inside Gaza, though some air operations may occur over the Strip to provide situational awareness and support for the coordination center.
Within Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu faces a political calculus as the government moves to implement the deal. A Likud official described a potential early election path as a way to secure renewed leadership and present unity within the party, a development that could shape the country’s posture as the ceasefire takes hold. Separately, ministers in Jerusalem approved, by telephone poll, the identities of certain prisoners slated for release—an action that reflects the delicate negotiations over who is swapped and when. Hamas reportedly pressed for changes, and authorities warned that further adjustments could follow.
The agreement also rests on a humanitarian framework that remains closely watched. A confidential humanitarian appendix calls for some six hundred aid trucks to enter Gaza daily, coordinated by the United Nations, international organizations, and the private sector. It envisions two open corridors for movement north and south within the coastal enclave and Franklin-style crossing arrangements for Gazans seeking to depart to Egypt via Rafah under EU oversight. There is also a provision to allow some Gazans who left for Egypt to return once a mechanism with the Egyptians is in place and the criteria are established.
Mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey were central to sealing the pact, which is publicly described as a 20-point plan. The plan contemplates an immediate end to fighting, a phased Israeli withdrawal, and a pathway toward a Palestinian state, with hostage releases handled upfront before more contentious post-war issues are addressed. US officials have emphasized that the force of the agreement rests on accountability and good conduct from both sides.
The arrangement also foresees a significant security role for a post-conflict stabilization force. The plan calls for an International Stabilization Force to gradually replace the IDF in Gaza. Initial steps include standing up a task force that could be ready within roughly two and a half weeks. Indonesia has publicly offered to contribute troops, among other potential partners whose participation remains in discussion. If the second phase moves forward, administration officials say, normalization efforts under the Abraham Accords could broaden, with possible expansion of ties to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Qatar, Mauritania, Algeria, Syria, and Lebanon as regional diplomacy shifts from crisis management toward longer-term cooperation.
In Gaza, the IDF has begun to realign its forces and dismantle some outposts as the withdrawal proceeds. Once the withdrawal is completed, a 72-hour countdown for hostages to be released begins, and new security arrangements are expected to take their place as the next phase unfolds.
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Published on 3 weeks, 6 days ago