Podcast Episode Details

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-10 at 22:06

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HEADLINES
Ceasefire holds; 20 hostages moved to hospitals
Qatar hosts F-15 training at Mountain Home
Hamas rejects foreign guardianship over Gaza

The time is now 6:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

Good evening. A United States–brokered ceasefire announced in Sharm el-Sheikh is holding as Israel and Hamas observe the framework designed to end the Gaza war, with a staged hostage-prisoner exchange that will unfold over the coming days. In the plan, Hamas is to release all remaining hostages in exchange for 250 Palestinian security prisoners and 1,700 Gazan detainees. In the initial stage, about 20 living hostages are expected to be moved to three central hospitals for medical care and reunions with families, with six to seven per facility at Beilinson in Petah Tikva, Ichilov in Tel Aviv, and Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan. If all hostages are not released by noon on Monday, Israeli officials say the ceasefire framework would be considered violated and could be met with a reply. Israeli defenses, meanwhile, remain positioned along key lines, with the IDF prepared to adjust withdrawals based on disarmament progress and the establishment of an international stabilization dimension that could take months to stand up.

Hamas and allied factions have publicly backed the ceasefire but again stressed a determination to resist outside control. A joint statement from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine rejected any foreign guardianship over Gaza, insisting governance is an internal Palestinian matter, even as they signaled openness to Arab and international participation in reconstruction. The battlefield realignment visible in Gaza over the past hours—most notably a limited public display by Hamas’s internal security forces—has reignited debate among Israel’s coalition partners about the deal’s long-term viability, especially the parts calling for disarmament and the postwar governance framework.

The international dimension of the truce broadens as mediation continues. Qatar's role in brokering the ceasefire has grown clearer, with officials highlighting that Doha is active in facilitating talks and humanitarian channels. A separate agreement connected to the broader security partnership with the United States envisions Qatar hosting a Qatari air force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho to train pilots and operate F-15s, a step described by officials as strengthening interoperability between Washington and Doha. Qatar’s involvement has drawn scrutiny from critics who say the group maintains ties to Hamas, while supporters argue the arrangements help channel funds and influence toward stabilizing Gaza and preventing a humanitarian collapse.

In Washington, President Trump has framed the mediation as a decisive step toward lasting peace in Gaza, a stance reflected in comments from allied officials and supportive rhetoric from the White House. The diplomacy has also been tied to expectations surrounding future regional arrangements, including potential visits to the region and confrontation with adversaries through a unified approach—an approach that faces resistance from some in the region who fear it may not fully disarm Hamas or integrate Gaza into a durable political settlement. The ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange are occurring in a broader environment of shifting alliances, regional diplomacy, and domestic political calculations in several capitals.

On the humanitarian front, international agencies warn that the ceasefire cannot mask Gaza’s crisis. UNICEF advocates for opening all food aid crossings and warns that children are especially vulnerable after prolonged deprivation. In Gaza City and other parts of the Strip, aid distributions continue as medical facilities prepare for the flow of released hostages and the possible influx of casu

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Published on 3 weeks, 5 days ago