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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-13 at 14:06
HEADLINES
First hostage wave released; four bodies returned
Trump urges Netanyahu pardon amid Iran talks
Cairo blast rattles Gaza summit diplomacy
The time is now 10:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the morning update on the Gaza ceasefire and related regional developments. Across the Gaza Strip and Israel today, the focus remains on the ongoing hostage-return process, the handling of fallen captives, and the wider political and security context shaping the ceasefire.
On the hostage release and body return, Israeli and international mediators are operating under a tightly choreographed schedule. Seven living hostages were reported to have been released and handed to the Red Cross for transfer to Israel in the first phase, with initial medical assessments underway as they move toward reunions with their families inside Israel. The first group is identified as Alon Ohel, Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Eitan Mor, Omri Miran, and Guy Gilboa Dalal. By mid-morning, television and military briefings indicated that those seven had entered Israeli territory and were en route to medical facilities for evaluation. Later in the morning, images and video confirmed that they were visible on Israeli soil, with some moments showing them at reception points and en route to hospitals.
A separate development centers on the six to thirteen other hostages who remain in various stages of handover and transfer under the Red Cross and Israeli authorities. Earlier in the day, reports indicated that thirteen hostages were being moved to Red Cross custody at one point in the process and were headed to meet Israeli security forces inside the Gaza Strip for the next leg of transfer. The situation remains fluid as the parties work through the next phases of the deal.
Alongside the living-hostage exchanges, the Israeli military and mediators confirmed that four bodies of fallen captives would be returned as part of the same ceasefire agreement. The families’ forum for hostages and missing persons publicly voiced concern about what they described as a breach in the deal when media outlets reported that only four bodies would be returned at that stage. The forum called on the mediators and the government to uphold the terms of the agreement and to ensure that all 28 captives who were captured remain accounted for, with the families demanding a complete return of every captive and a full accounting. In official briefings, the Israeli military reiterated its readiness to receive additional remains in the coming hours and stressed the need to proceed with due sensitivity to families.
In parallel to the hostage process, Israel’s dialogue with adversaries and supporters of the ceasefire continues. The Israeli Defense Forces and Shin Bet have emphasized that all steps must respect the needs and privacy of returning families, while reiterating that Hamas must meet its obligations under the agreement. The government has underscored that any deviation by Hamas would invite a measured and firm response as part of ongoing efforts to safeguard Israeli security and to prevent a relapse into broader hostilities.
On the political and international backdrop, US President Donald Trump addressed the Israeli Knesset in what the White House framed as a broader Middle East moment. According to Reuters coverage, Trump urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the speech, invoking a dramatic line about “cigars and champagne.” The remarks touched on Netanyahu’s corruption trial, a point that drew stunned reactions from lawmakers. The broader thread of the speech also suggested Washington’s willingness to contemplate a deal with Iran should Tehran be ready, and to support a comprehensive peace framework for the region. The remarks reflect a continuing dynamic in which Washington s
Published on 3 weeks, 3 days ago