Podcast Episode Details

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-10 at 15:05

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HEADLINES
Ceasefire edges forward as hostages await
Gaza toll climbs as 360 bodies returned
Israel strengthens deterrence on Lebanon border

The time is now 11:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the 11:00 AM update. A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas announced in Sharm el-Sheikh is moving into its first phase with the expectation that fighting will not resume as talks proceed toward hostage releases and prisoner exchanges. President Trump is slated to visit Israel on Monday, where he will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and families of the hostages as a show of continued US backing for a “peace through strength” approach. Also in the mix, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have arrived in the region and visited the Western Wall, underscoring the United States’ active involvement in shaping the ceasefire framework and the diplomacy around it.

In Gaza, the health ministry reports 17 Palestinians killed and 71 wounded in the last 24 hours, bringing total casualties to about 67,211 dead and roughly 170,000 wounded since the conflict began. The ministry notes that as the fighting subsides, more bodies from areas retaken by Israeli forces could be found and added to the tally. Hamas and other factions have contended that thousands more may be buried beneath rubble, reflecting the difficulty of assessing casualties amid ongoing rescue and recovery work.

Israel’s government released a list of 250 security prisoners it plans to release as part of the Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal. The roster includes members from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Fatah, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, but several Hamas demands, including the prominent Barghouti, were not included. The list’s final composition was the product of late-stage deliberations among mediators and Israeli security officials, with some names swapped at the last minute. In addition to those to be released, Israel will free 1,722 Gazans detained during the war, including 22 minors, and will return 360 Gazan bodies. The prisoners and bodies are to be released and returned only after Hamas frees the remaining hostages—74 hours from the start of the ceasefire, and with the timetable subject to Hamas’s compliance on the hostages. Israel has also stated that it would deport many of the convicted prisoners and that the release decision was coordinated across several government and security agencies.

On the Israeli domestic front, Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Tel HaShomer near Tel Aviv to review the health system’s readiness to receive returning hostages and to meet with wounded soldiers. He praised the medical teams and the resilience of the Israeli public, telling hospital staff and soldiers that their efforts embody the nation’s resolve. In parallel, Israel’s security apparatus prepared a dedicated reception and care area for returning hostages and their families, with health, police, and military officials coordinating the logistics of reunions and medical care. The Defense Ministry noted that the entire system was coordinating to support families and ensure privacy during what families described as a long-awaited moment of relief.

Military developments outside Gaza also feature in today’s briefing. The IDF says Hamas has been defeated across all fronts as Israel completes its withdrawal from Gaza and prepares to receive hostages under the Monday deadline. In the broader regional picture, Israeli forces conducted operations in southern Lebanon as part of a show of readiness and deterrence against Hezbollah. A target building housing weapons for the militant group was destroyed by reservist soldiers, with the army underscoring that Hezbollah’s presence in the area breached understandings with Lebanon and will be addressed as needed. The military also published and updated a map of recent Israeli wit

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Published on 3 weeks, 5 days ago