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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-13 at 06:07
HEADLINES
Seven Hostages Handover Begins, Screening Underway
Israel Seeks Gaza Demilitarization, Hamas Degraded
US Sees Historic Ceasefire, Trump Visit Planned
The time is now 2:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Two hours into the ceasefire announced in Sharm el-Sheikh, the United States says the Gaza halt and hostage exchange are moving forward as part of a broader effort to end more than two years of fighting. The accord envisions staged releases of hostages alongside the transfer of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, with international observers and humanitarian groups involved in coordinating the handovers.
Hamas officials have informed the Red Cross that the initial phase of hostage releases will begin at eight o’clock this morning, and a technical meeting between Hamas and the Red Cross teams was held late last night to organize the handover. In Gaza, authorities say the operation is proceeding under close scrutiny, with emphasis on minimizing risk to civilians and to those who were seized.
Early indications from the field suggest that seven hostages have been transferred to Israeli security forces and are being moved toward facilities where medical and security screening will take place, with the Israeli side confirming the handoff and the cooperation of security agencies. Health and rescue teams note that many of those returning are in various states of health, and hospital systems have begun preparations for their arrival.
Israel’s leadership has framed the moment in terms of a long-sought security objective: the return of its missing civilians as part of an overall strategy that ties hostage releases to the disarming of Hamas and the removal of a terror infrastructure from Gaza. In a formal message to the armed forces, the defense minister underscored the mission to safeguard Israeli communities and to ensure that the group’s ability to threaten civilians is degraded. The defense minister’s letter also signaled a broader commitment to press for a future in which Gaza would be demilitarized and the threat of terror contained, while reaffirming the readiness of the IDF to act if the security situation worsens.
On the international front, the White House has framed the pause in fighting as a potentially historic step toward peace through strength, describing it as a new dawn in the Middle East as President Trump plans to visit the region. The administration has stressed that American support for Israel’s right to defend itself remains a central element of its approach, while urging restraint and accountability to prevent escalation. Israel has welcomed the US partnership, and Israeli officials have praised Washington’s role in brokering and sustaining the ceasefire.
In New York and Washington, coverage of the events has included the sense of a turning page. A White House briefing emphasized that the administration views this moment as part of a strategic realignment in the region, with the aim of stabilizing Gaza while protecting Israeli security interests. The focus for US policy remains clear: support for a framework that combines security guarantees with humanitarian measures, and a steadfast belief that peace must be achieved through a credible readiness to deter aggression.
Back in Israel, crowds gathered around the capital and at public viewing spaces, with demonstrators in Central Park and other cities expressing cautious hope that the hostage releases will proceed as planned and that the ceasefire will endure. The demonstrations reflect broad public interest in the welfare of the hostages and the safety of Israeli towns along the border, as well as a desire to see a durable end to the fighting.
Gazans in the Gaza Strip have been urged by Hamas not to publish or share operational details of the handover, with officials warning that any disclosu
Published on 3 weeks, 3 days ago