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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-10 at 21:06
HEADLINES
Hamas hostage release by Monday
Hospitals ready to treat released hostages
Trump eyes Gaza summit with regional leaders
The time is now 5:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the Hourly News Update. A US‑brokered pause in the Gaza war, announced in Sharm el‑Sheikh, holds as a fragile step toward ending a conflict that has left families waiting and cities scarred. Washington, together with Egypt and Gulf partners, helped clear a path for negotiations that both Israel and Hamas say they need, even as each side remains wary of what a long ceasefire will require from them in the days ahead.
Under the framework now in motion, Hamas is pledged to release all remaining hostages by Monday, with the exact timing left to mediators and families in Israel to absorb as the day approaches. In exchange, Israel would free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and Gazan detainees as part of a broader, staged exchange. A multinational task force is to help locate and identify remains of hostages, and the plan envisions a future process of disarmament and demilitarization in the Gaza Strip, coordinated with international partners. Israel has signaled that while it will begin to draw down, it will maintain security positions in the Strip until a broader stabilization framework and disarmament prove durable. If those elements do not take hold, Israeli leaders have warned that operations could resume.
In practical terms, hospital logistics have moved to the forefront. Beilinson, Ichilov and Sheba are being prepared to take in up to six to seven hostages each in a coordinated intake as they are released. The goal is to reunite families and give medical teams a chance to treat injuries and stress as the living are returned. The Red Cross, along with Israeli authorities, is coordinating the handover and immediate care for those coming home.
The timing of the release remains fluid. Early optimism from some officials has given way to cautious language about the possibility of Sunday releases rather than Monday, with some voices noting that Hamas seeks to maintain control over the process and to synchronize it with broader negotiations on postwar governance. In parallel, a toll is being taken on both sides as the ceasefire settles in. Hamas has shown internal security officers in public for the first time in months, a signal that it intends to demonstrate continuity of authority even as it contends with a weakened position after two years of war. Israeli officials have warned that any failure to implement disarmament provisions could trigger renewed fighting, underscoring how tightly the ceasefire is bound to evolving arrangements on weapons in Gaza.
Beyond the immediate pact, regional and international reactions have grown louder. A resurfaced debate over foreign guardianship of Gaza—whether outside powers should have formal control or influence over Gaza’s future—was pressed again by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and allied factions, who reiterated that governance must be Palestinian and internal. They welcomed international assistance for reconstruction but insisted on leadership that they say should remain national. The big question now is how much influence outside mediators will have in the day‑to‑day management of the Strip and how quickly an international stabilization presence can be organized.
On the political stage, President Trump’s role remains central in observers’ minds. In recent days, Trump’s aides and close allies have argued that the approach to Hamas was shaped by a window to press Israeli leadership toward a peace framework grounded in strength. Trump has indicated a desire to bring together regional leaders for a Gaza summit in Egypt and has suggested that his presence at the Western Wall and in the region could reinforce momentum toward a deal. He has also spoken with hostages’ familie
Published on 3 weeks, 5 days ago