๐️Lonny's War Update- October 730, 2023 - October 5, 2025 ๐️
๐️Day 730 that 48 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivity๐️
Trump: Israel agreed to withdrawal line; once Hamas ‘confirms,’ ceasefire in effect
US President Donald Trump posts on his Truth Social platform that Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal line in Gaza, which has been shown to Hamas.
“When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE. Thank you for your attention to this matter and, STAY TUNED!” Trump writes.
The initial withdrawal line, according to Trump’s map, shows Israel’s approximate lines of control in the Strip prior to the major Gaza City offensive, which began last month. At the time, the IDF held some 70% of Gaza’s territory.
It would mean that the IDF would continue to maintain a presence in southern Gaza’s Rafah and Khan Younis and large portions of the Strip’s north, along with its buffer zone in other parts of the territory.
Hamas’s political, military wings at odds over disarmament under Trump plan — report
Hamas’s political wing and military wing have not reached a consensus over matter of disarmament as part of US President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the war in Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing Arab mediators.
According to the report, Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s lead negotiator, and other political officials living outside Gaza are ready to accept the proposal “despite significant reservations.”
While Hamas’s leader in Gaza, Izz al-Din Haddad, is open to surrendering Hamas’s offensive weapons, such as rockets, he wants to retain the terror group’s “defensive” weapons, such as assault rifles, the report says.
Other military commanders are less open to compromise, according to the report. They reportedly feel they won’t be able to enforce disarmament among the young men they have recruited throughout the war, who they believe may not be willing to surrender their weapons after losing family and property during the war.
Senior Israeli official: 'Israel to negotiate while IDF remains inside Gaza, ready if Hamas resists'
Official says the IDF will remain in Gaza, with any pullback only to the 'yellow line' around Gaza City; Talks with Hamas are expected in Cairo within days, as Israel prepares for possible resistance from the terror group
Under the emerging plan, Israel will receive all 48 hostages, including one female captive, within 72 hours of an agreement’s approval. The IDF will remain inside Gaza, and any pullback will be limited to what is known as the “yellow line,” surrounding Gaza City.“We’ve never had a deal like this—where we get all the hostages, stay in Gaza, and keep negotiating,” the official said.Hostage release plan and negotiation phasesThe official said the process will unfold in phases, beginning with the immediate release of all hostages. “The IDF will stay in Gaza, and the initial pullback will be only to the yellow line around Gaza City, after the hostages are released,” he said.Talks are expected to begin in Cairo as soon as Sunday or Monday, led by Minister Ron Dermer, joined by professional staff and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. “The Americans want to close the deal quickly,” the official said, adding that Jared Kushner may also join.“We’re talking about just a few days of negotiations—nobody’s going there to sunbathe,” he added. “Witkoff wants to move fast.”At this stage, the official clarified, there is a “reduction in fire,” not a full cease-fire, intended to give Hamas space to locate and return hostages. “No one is moving; our troops remain inside Gaza. Civilians will not be allowed to return to Gaza City,” he said.The official dismissed reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was caught off guard by Trump’s dramatic Friday night statement calling for an end to Israeli strikes. “There was no surprise whatsoever,” he said. “Everything was coordinated between the prime minister and President Trump and other senior administration officials. They spoke before the announcement.”He added that the absence of far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir from the talks was not intentional: “It was simply because of the Sabbath. The prime minister will brief them afterward.”‘Unprecedented deal’ and Hamas’ possible hurdlesThe official praised Netanyahu for making “unpopular decisions” and facing political backlash to reach this stage. “He insisted on entering Gaza, and the strike in Qatar helped. We’ve never had a deal where we stay in Gaza, get all the hostages back, and continue negotiations,” he said.He also credited “immense pressure” from mediators and from Trump himself, which pushed Hamas to agree to the first stage of the plan.However, he cautioned that Israel is preparing for possible obstacles from Hamas, saying, “They may try to create difficulties or derail the talks. We’re ready for all scenarios. From Israel’s side, we’ve agreed to the framework—it’s possible to bring the hostages home within days.”“Hamas has agreed to the first phase—releasing all hostages—and that’s a major achievement for Israel,” the official said. “We remain inside Gaza, and the initiative is in our hands.”The upcoming Cairo talks will determine the logistics of releasing live hostages and the time frame Hamas will receive to collect the bodies of the dead, he added. Link Unfortunately, Dermer is going to lead the negotiations on the deal. Dermer was appointed by Netanyahu over 8 minute ago to take over as lead for hostage negotiations strictly to have his closest yes man in charge. When the Mossad and Shin Bet chiefs were in charge, they pushed for deals to be made even if it meant ending the war, and were fully opposed to Netanyahu’s desire to keep the war going for his political survival. He moved both of them out and in came Dermer, who has been opposed to every deal. For the months at the beginning of the war, he was going around Washington and telling everyone that all the hostages were dead. Just months ago, he told the father of one of the killed soldier hostages that he didn’t care about 20 hostages (referring to the living hostages only). He further said that if it was 6 million, then it would be a different story. In his 8+ months as the head of negotiations, not a single hostage has been brought home through his actions/inactions. In these critical negotiations, he is representing Netanyahu, not the hostages, not the families, and certainly not the people of Israel. In every part of the negotiations,His first concern will be how it will affect Netanyahu’s political survival, not the lives of the hostages. He is a disgrace and an embarrassment. Despite his representation of Netanyahu, the mediators, in particular the Americans headed by Steve Witkoff, will not allow Dermer to gum up the negotiations with new Netanyahu demands as has been the reason for the failure of all previous negotiations. Trump is fed up with Netanyahu’s deliberate sabotage of deals and is demanding that this will be the end, of the war, the hostage crisis and the beginning of the end of the humanitarian crisis and rebuilding of Gaza.Hamas and Israel to hold indirect talks on Trump plan in Cairo starting tomorrow — report
CAIRO, Egypt — Hamas and Israel will engage in indirect talks in Cairo on Sunday and Monday to secure the release of hostages and detainees, Egyptian state-linked media report.
Al-Qahera News, which is closely linked to Egypt’s intelligence service, reports that both delegations “have begun moving to launch talks in Cairo tomorrow and the day after, to discuss arranging the ground conditions for the exchange of all detainees and prisoners, in accordance with Trump’s proposal.
Trump thanks Israel for halt to Gaza strikes, but adds ‘Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off’
Amid reports that an Israeli airstrike killed 10 people, including children in Gaza City, US President Donald Trump expresses his appreciation that “Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing in order to give the hostage release and peace deal a chance to be completed.”
“Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off,” Trump writes on Truth Social.
“I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again,” he continues.
“Let’s get this done, FAST. Everyone will be treated fairly!” he adds, repeating an assurance ostensibly met to keep both sides on board with the fragile agreement.
Einav Zangaukger: Ben Gvir, Smotrich, and Netanyahu will do everything to sabotage hostage deal
Families of hostages held in Gaza urge supporters of a ceasefire-hostage release deal to join protests tonight, to prevent the sabotage of an emerging agreement to free the captives.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held in Gaza, says that “we have never been so close” to getting the hostages back.
“And I know that as long as we get closer, [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben Gvir, [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich, and Netanyahu will do everything to sabotage my chances to hug Matan,” she says.
“These are critical days. The saboteurs of the negotiations are getting ready to pressure Netanyahu. We have to stand against them like a wall,” she says, insisting that the current opportunity cannot be wasted.
“We can’t just rely on Trump. I call on the country’s citizens — everyone who supports the return of hostages, everyone who supports an end to the war and the return of the soldiers, take to the streets with us,” she says.
Hostage families urge to stand against political sabotage ahead of possible Hamas deal
Ahead of a rally at Hostages Square, hostage families warned of political interference in a possible Hamas deal; Einav Zangauker urged public action, while Eitan Horen’s father urged: 'The Israeli public must stand up, we cannot rely only on Trump'
Thousands of Israelis are expected to protest Saturday night, demanding the release of hostages as dramatic developments unfold toward a potential deal with Hamas to end the war and implement a cease-fire already in effect in Gaza.The protests follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that Hamas has partially agreed to his peace plan, expressing readiness to release all hostages but requesting negotiations over the details.
Einav Zangauker in a statement at Begin Gate(Photo: Yuval ChenBefore the main rally at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, family members of hostages addressed the public outside Begin Gate. Einav Zangauker, mother of captive Matan Zangauker, said, “This is day 729 of Matan’s captivity. We’ve never been so close to getting Matan and all the hostages back. But I know that as we get closer, Ben-Gvir, Smotrich and Netanyahu will do everything to sabotage my chance to hug Matan.” She called on Israelis to stand as a united front in support of the hostages.Itzik Horen, father of hostage Eitan Horen and captive survivor Yair Horen, criticized the government: “How many more terrible days must he endure? For two years, Netanyahu and his messianic allies have traded in your life without a shred of humanity. Meanwhile, a murderous terrorist organization crushes its own people. You’re treated as a commodity, not a person.”Other family members, including Maccabit Meir, aunt of twins Gali and Ziv Berman, expressed cautious optimism, citing Trump and his team’s decisive involvement and the ongoing cease-fire as progress toward a comprehensive agreement.
Statement by the families of the hostages at Begin Gate(Photo: Yuval Chen)Opposition leader Yair Lapid warned against efforts to undermine the deal: “When Shabbat ends, and you hear threats from Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, remember they have no leverage. A vast majority in the Knesset and the Israeli public support Trump’s deal.”At the rally, former hostages Gadi Mozes and Omer Shem Tov are expected to speak, and singer Ninet Tayeb will perform with dozens of former captives. Others scheduled to speak include Einav Zangauker, Liran Berman, former minister Yizhar Shai, Ayelet Goldin and Bat-Sheva Yahalomi.
Einav Zangauker with Itzik Horen, the father of the kidnapped Eitan Horen(Photo: Yuval Chen)The protests come after Hamas responded to Trump’s “20-point plan,” agreeing to release all hostages but not addressing key points like disarmament. Trump welcomed the partial response, expressing hope that Hamas is “ready for lasting peace” and urging Israel to halt airstrikes. A unilateral cease-fire began early Sunday, and the IDF shifted from offense to defense in Gaza under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s orders.Netanyahu issued an extraordinary statement about preparing for the “immediate release” of hostages under Trump’s plan, reportedly coordinated with the U.S. side. A senior official said Israel had never negotiated a deal where all hostages are returned while operations continue in Gaza.According to the official, all hostages are expected to be released within 72 hours of mutual agreement. Negotiations will continue in subsequent stages, with an Israeli delegation led by Minister Ron Dermer set to travel to Cairo, where a Hamas delegation is arriving Sunday. U.S. representatives, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will also attend. LinkPalestinian Islamic Jihad supports Hamas’ response to US Gaza plan
Palestinian Islamic Jihad endorsed Hamas’s response to Trump’s Gaza plan, signaling rare unity among terror groups and raising hopes for a hostage deal as Israel, under US pressure, prepares to scale back its offensive
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas that also holds Israeli hostages, on Saturday endorsed Hamas’s response to a U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza — a move that could help pave the way for the release of captives still held by both groups.“Hamas’ response to Trump’s plan represents the position of the Palestinian resistance factions, and Islamic Jihad participated responsibly in the consultations that led to this decision,” the Iran-backed terror group said in a statement.Hamas, which controls Gaza, said Friday it accepts key parts of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal, including an end to the war, Israel’s withdrawal, and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.The group’s stance — and its backing by Islamic Jihad — raised hopes among war-weary Gazans who have seen repeated ceasefire efforts collapse amid Israeli airstrikes that have devastated the enclave, created a humanitarian crisis, and displaced millions.“It’s happy news — it saves those who are still alive, it saves the people. Thank God they agreed. This is enough; we are tired, truly tired,” said Palestinian Saoud Qarneyta, 32.Others were more cautious, expressing concern that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might withdraw from any deal to end the fighting.“What’s important is that Netanyahu doesn’t sabotage this, because now that Hamas agreed, Netanyahu will disagree — as he usually does,” said Jerusalem resident Jamal Shihada.The Israeli military’s Arabic-language spokesperson warned Saturday that Gaza City remains a “dangerous” combat zone and urged residents via X not to move north or approach areas where Israeli forces are operating.Military shift and global reactionNews outlet Axios reported that the Israeli military plans to shift to defensive operations in Gaza and halt its push to seize Gaza City.Airstrikes continued early Saturday, though at reduced intensity, after Trump called for an end to the bombing, saying Hamas was “ready for peace.” Six people were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza, including four in Gaza City and two in Khan Younis, according to local authorities and medical sources.Netanyahu’s office said Israel was preparing for the “immediate implementation” of the first phase of Trump’s plan — the release of Israeli hostages following Hamas’s response. Israeli media later reported that political leaders had instructed the military to scale back offensive activity.Trump’s proposal and Hamas’s reply drew expressions of support from governments worldwide, including Australia, India, and Canada.Israel’s military chief of staff said forces had been ordered to prepare for the plan’s first phase but did not specify whether operations in Gaza would be reduced.Hamas responded to Trump’s 20-point plan after the U.S. president gave the group until Sunday to accept or face unspecified “grave consequences.”Trump, who has cast himself as the only person capable of achieving peace in Gaza, has invested significant political capital in ending a two-year war that has killed tens of thousands and left Israel increasingly isolated internationally.On Friday, Trump said he believed Hamas had shown it was “ready for a lasting PEACE” and called on Netanyahu’s government to act.“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.Before Israel’s latest announcements, families of hostages held in Gaza urged Netanyahu to “immediately order negotiations for the return of all hostages.”At home, Netanyahu faces growing pressure to end the war — from hostage families and a weary public — while members of his far-right coalition insist Israel must not ease its military campaign. Link‘It’s Now Or Never’: Tens of thousands rally in Tel Aviv for hostage deal, amid push for Trump’s Gaza plan
Tens of thousands gather at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square and hundreds more outside the IDF headquarters, a block away, to rally for a Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal as US President Donald Trump’s proposal appears to pick up steam.
A huge placard proclaims: “It’s Now Or Never.”
“There’s a deal on the table, it’s been there the whole time,” chant protesters outside the IDF headquarters’ Begin Road entrance.
A smaller, left-wing protest takes place on the Begin-Shaul HaMelech intersection, between the two other demonstrations, with activists, many of them from binational socialist outfit Standing Together, silently holding signs accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
Across the street from them on Begin, where protesters pass through to any of the three demonstrations, a handful of right-wing activists taunt protesters, accusing them of being elitists who have made the hostages’ release less probable while ignoring soldiers who were killed in Gaza.
Crowds rally in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square urging the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s deal to free all hostages from Gaza and end the war, October 4, 2025. (Tal A.M / Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)“Trump and Bibi, the kings, are going to bring back the hostages and then what will you complain about? Cilantro?” asks a megaphone-wielding right-wing activist.
- Hostage survivor Gadi Moses: 'PM must give negotiation team real mandate to reach agreement'Hostage survivor Gadi Moses spoke at a rally in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. He said that "for a long time it seemed that the return of the hostages and the end of the war were impossible. Today is the time to turn the impossible into possible." He added: "The issue of hostages is not a political issue. It is a national, social, moral and human obligation, and if there are people in our leadership who do not see it this way, they have lost their social, moral and human compass and are failing in their national duty and their duty to all citizens. I call from this stage for the Prime Minister not to listen to these people, to give the negotiation team a real mandate to reach an agreement as quickly as possible."
Technical talks on first stage of Trump’s plan to begin in Cairo on Monday
An informed diplomatic source has told our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic that technical negotiations to begin implementing the first phase of Trump’s ceasefire plan will commence in Cairo on Monday.
According to the source, Hamas’s negotiating team will depart the Qatari capital, Doha, tomorrow and travel to Cairo for the talks.
A Qatari delegation team will also travel to Cairo to secure an agreement.
The first phase of Trump’s 20-point ceasefire proposal includes the return of all captives, dead and alive, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Netanyahu says Israeli negotiators will finalise details of captive release
The Israeli prime minister says the negotiators will be working on a timeline for their release under Trump’s Gaza plan.
Speaking to reporters in Hebrew from Jerusalem, Netanyahu also noted that the US proposal includes the demilitarisation of Hamas.
That will be achieved either through Trump’s proposal, or through Israeli military action, he added.
“But in all cases, this will be achieved,” said Netanyahu.
---Intensive talks and negotiations will begin in Cairo on Monday. Hamas is insisting on negotiating details of the entire deal before any hostages are released and Netanyahu has given instructions to his advisors/yes men about what they can and cannot negotiate.
Regarding Netanyahu and his instructions, we can assume a few of them based on statements he has made over the last 2 days. One demand that he has that won't be acceptable to Hamas or the Americans is that Hamas disarmament be to Israel and not to the as yet undetermined Palestinian government body that will be coming in to govern Gaza. Hamas will never disarm to Israel, that would be the epitome of surrender that they will not allow to occur. They would rather fight to their last breaths and last drops of blood and not surrender their weapons to Israel. The US will step in and tell Netanyahu to drop that demand and they will take responsibility that disarmament will happen. Another demand that Netanyahu will try to push through is the removal or any relation to the Palestinian Authority, reformed or not. He has spent his career weakening the PA and strengthening Hamas so he could always state that there is no serious partner or one that represents the Palestinians. Throughout the war, he has stated repeatedly that he will not allow any new governing body in Gaza that has any connection to the PA or Hamas. The Americans recognize that any governing body, in the long term, must be directed connected to the PA. Anything else will fail. One of the other major points for Netanyahu will be his demands that IDF troops remain in key areas of the Strip for longer periods than the agreement calls for. The US has already stated that they have put together an entire plan for the IDF redeployment, and it looks like they will stick to their plan and not accept Netanyahu's demands.
Hamas for their part wants changes regarding a number of points as well. They are immediately demanding more time to locate the hostages, probably referring to the bodies of the dead hostages, and want a week to do so. Netanyahu has stated that if it goes beyond 72 hours, he will go back to fighting. It is extremely doubtful that the US will allow that, but will tend towards giving Hamas up to a week to find the bodies. Even with this, there is more than a good chance that not all the bodies will ever be found. We already know that there are thousands and thousands of bodies of Gazans buried beneath hundreds of tons of rubble from our bombings and it is likely that there are hostages' bodies under rubble as well, that of buildings or of tunnels. The Americans will not give Hamas more than a week, even if they claim they can't locate all the bodies. I have no idea how this will be resolved if they can't find all the hostages. For Trump, he doesn't care about the bodies of the dead and simply doesn't understand the need of the families to have the bodies returned. He last said exactly that in his press conference with Netanyahu in Washington last week.
Hamas, internally has divisions regarding disarmament. The Gazan military leaders, the few who wield some power appear to be willing to hand over large armaments (rockets, RPGs, tunnels, etc) but are insisting on holding onto the smaller weapons (pistols, rifles, etc) so they can have them for defensive needs. This will not be acceptable to Israel. I have no idea yet if the Americans will accept this either.
Another problematic clause for Hamas is exiles of their leaders. A compromise can be worked out here that a small subset of the Gazan military leaders, say 5-10 will be exiled and the rest will remain. As long as that remains relatively quiet, Israel will probably accept that compromise.
And another demand that will not be acceptable to Israel or to the US is for Hamas to have any role whatsoever in the future governing of Gaza. They will have to give that demand up entirely.
The coming days and week will be very tense and fraught with fear as well as lots of hope and huge amounts of pressure will be brought down on both parties by the mediators in order to reach a definitive end of the war and the return of all the hostages.Anti-government protesters call for peace, hope this will be their last weekend in Gaza
Speakers at the anti-government demonstration on Begin Road, outside the IDF headquarters, hail the renewed push to end the war in Gaza, as Israel and Hamas seem close to a ceasefire-hostage deal based on US President Donald Trump’s proposal.
Yotam Kipnis, who lost his parents in the Hamas massacre in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, says, “nothing will bring them back, but there is still so much that can be saved; if it can be saved, then it’s our duty to save it, in a deal.”
He quotes a speech he gave in April 2023 during a protest against the judicial overhaul: “We are the cannon fodder and the scapegoat that the government is willing to sacrifice on the altar of messianism.”
“Now, too, on October 4, the writing is on the wall. Now, even before the war ends, we need to think about the day after,” he says. “There will be peace between us and the Palestinians, because it has to happen. The only question is how much [blood] will be spilled until that happens.”
Rula Daoud, co-chair of Israeli-Palestinian socialist group Standing Together, also addresses the Begin Road protest.
“We, the Arab Palestinian citizens of Israel, join the demand to end the war, not just because we have no faith in the government, but because this is an unjust war being waged on our own people,” she says. “The struggle for humanitarian aid to Gaza is not just the struggle of Arab citizens, and the struggle to return the hostages is not just the struggle of the Jewish citizens.”
Mali Darwish, an activist who reads the names of remaining hostages at the end of the weekly Begin Road rallies, says that she is “optimistic that this time is the last weekend that I’ll read the names.”
US plan for IDF pullout: Israel prepares negotiating team as gaps remain with Hamas
Israel readies for Cairo talks as the US pushes to bridge gaps ahead of negotiations; Maps and prisoner lists are prepared, but Hamas resists Trump’s 72-hour hostage-release clause, disarmament, and outside control of Gaza
Israel is preparing to send a senior negotiating delegation—likely to Cairo, not Doha—for talks expected to begin as early as Sunday, following Hamas’ announcement that it accepts the first phase of President Donald Trump’s peace plan.The Islamist terror group declared Friday night that it agrees to release all Israeli hostages “in accordance with the exchange formula included in President Trump’s proposal,” prompting Trump to issue a dramatic overnight statement calling on Israel to “stop bombing Gaza” and asserting that Hamas is “ready for peace.”Despite the momentum, officials on all sides caution that a long, difficult negotiation lies ahead. Hamas stressed it is willing to “immediately enter talks on the details of the arrangement,” signaling that it has not yet agreed to the full framework.Israel, U.S. coordinate ahead of CairoThroughout Friday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held emergency consultations with Defense Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and top defense chiefs. Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir were not included.Sources told Ynet that Netanyahu is considering sending Dermer to Cairo to head the delegation.Meanwhile, Israeli negotiators have prepared detailed prisoner-release lists and military withdrawal maps, drawn from Trump’s plan and previous IDF proposals. These maps outline possible redeployments to facilitate the hostage exchange.According to one source involved in the process, Hamas has agreed to negotiate on the basis of Trump’s announcement but has not accepted limiting talks solely to the first stage—the release of all hostages within 72 hours. “We’re looking at a complex and lengthy process,” the source said.U.S. officials are working intensively to narrow gaps before formal talks begin, hoping to avoid procedural disputes that bogged down previous rounds.U.S. officials are working intensively to narrow gaps before formal talks begin, hoping to avoid procedural disputes that bogged down previous rounds.Washington’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in the region in the coming days. Israeli peace activist Gershon Baskin, a veteran of past hostage deals, said Witkoff briefed him that the U.S. has a deployment plan for IDF forces “that will allow Hamas to locate, gather, and return the hostages safely.”Hamas’ position: limited options, new demandsA Hamas source said that the terror group’s leadership agreed to talks because of operational difficulties and limited alternatives. “As long as hostages remain, fighting will continue,” the source said, adding that full release “may take up to a week, not 72 hours.”
Washington’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (Photo: AP/ Alex Brandon)He also indicated that other terror factions, such as Islamic Jihad, may need to be involved. “In the first stage, Israel must withdraw from certain areas under its control—like parts of Gaza City—where hostages are held, to create conditions for their release,” the source added.Meanwhile, Dr. Nasser Laham, a journalist close to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, argued that Trump’s plan aims not merely to end the war but to reshape the Middle East. “The next phase will bring new political actors and fresh initiatives,” he said. “Old frameworks have lost credibility.”Timing of the hostage releaseTrump’s plan calls for all hostages to be freed within 72 hours, but Hamas says that timeline is impossible. The terror group claims it has lost contact with some factions holding captives and needs time to locate them.Disarmament of HamasThe U.S. proposal envisions a demilitarized Gaza, but Hamas refuses to surrender its weapons. According to The Wall Street Journal, the terror group might agree to store “offensive weapons” in Egypt or under UN supervision, while keeping what it calls “defensive systems” inside Gaza.Arab mediators told the Journal that Az al-Din Haddad, head of Hamas’ military wing after the deaths of Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar, is “open to compromise” but unwilling to hand over light arms.Hamas commanders fear fighters who joined during the war—many after losing relatives—will refuse to disarm if the deal appears as a surrender.Who governs Gaza next?Hamas rejects a foreign or Arab-international administration and does not accept a continued IDF presence in Gaza. It has agreed in principle to transfer civilian governance to a nonpartisan Palestinian technocratic body backed by Arab states but insists on maintaining its political role in the national process—contradicting Trump’s plan, which excludes Hamas from any postwar administration.Hamas’ response also omitted any mention of the proposed Peace Council or Arab oversight mechanism included in Trump’s framework.In its statement, Hamas positioned itself as open to negotiation while refusing to abandon core principles—insisting on total prisoner release, full IDF withdrawal, humanitarian access, and preventing a Palestinian Authority return to power.Analysts say the terror group seeks to appear cooperative without compromising on ideology: resistance, survival in Gaza, and continued influence over the Palestinian national movement.As one Israeli source put it, “Hamas hasn’t said no, but it hasn’t really said yes either. The U.S. and Egypt are trying to turn that ambiguity into progress before the window closes.”
**There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!**
“I’ve never met them,But I miss them. I’ve never met them,but I think of them every second. I’ve never met them,but they are my family. BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*5:30am- central and Jerusalem areas - ballistic missile from Yemen
Woman lightly hurt in suspected ramming attack at West Bank checkpoint
A woman was lightly injured in a suspected car-ramming attack at a West Bank checkpoint near Jerusalem a short while ago, medics say.
The suspected assailant accelerated his vehicle into the Bidu Checkpoint, near the Palestinian town of the same name, and hit another vehicle.
In the vehicle that was hit, a 49-year-old woman was lightly injured, Magen David Adom says.
The suspect was reportedly detained at the scene by forces.
- Gaza and the South
Israeli airstrikes thwart Hamas attack on rival armed Gazan group in Strip’s south
IDF: 20 terror operatives who raided ‘humanitarian zone’ killed in strikes, some used kids as human shields; armed group tells ToI it foiled attack with Israeli support
Hamas gunmen are seen launching an attack on a rival armed group in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, October 3, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
Some 20 armed Hamas terror operatives, who attempted to carry out a raid on Friday morning against other Gazans in an Israeli-designated “humanitarian zone” in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, were killed in drone strikes, the military said.
The confirmation from the Israel Defense Forces came after the leader of a rival armed group in Gaza told The Times of Israel that his forces had thwarted a Hamas attack in Khan Younis with Israeli military assistance.
Hossam al-Astal, who leads the armed group east of Khan Younis, said that it thwarted a Hamas attack on a family with which Hamas is in dispute on Friday morning in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis, with air support from the IDF.
The Israeli military did not mention the armed group in its statement, but confirmed it thwarted an attack on “Gazan residents” in the area.
The IDF said that after the drone strikes, several Hamas operatives were seen trying to use Palestinian children as human shields. It published footage that purported to show the gunmen dragging children with them.
The gunmen using human shields were killed in separate strikes minutes later, without harm being caused to the civilians, the military added.
The IDF issued footage of the strikes, which it said killed some 20 Hamas operatives. Video
Al-Astal said that at 6 a.m., Hamas operatives arrived in al-Mawasi and opened fire, launching RPGs toward an area where members of the al-Majaida family, whom the terror group was targeting, were present.
The al-Majaida family has been warring with Hamas for several weeks, ever since operatives shot several family members in the leg for unclear reasons, al-Astal said. He said the group has also claimed the family is collaborating with Israel and stealing humanitarian aid.
He said his forces came to the family’s assistance, and with the help of Israeli air support, they were able to strike the entire Hamas unit.
Eleven Hamas operatives were killed and six were seriously wounded, he said, and one member of the Majaida family who fought against them was also killed. His own forces sustained no casualties, he said.
Social media accounts affiliated with Hamas also reported on the attack, but claimed that although members of Hamas’s armed wing were killed, Hamas managed to kill several members of the al-Majaida family, whom they accused of collaborating with Israel.
Hossam al-Astal (center) is seen surrounded by armed members of his group, ‘Strike Force Against Terror,’ in an undated picture from the Gaza Strip posted on Facebook. (Courtesy: Hossam al-Astal via Facebook)Al-Astal published photos on his Facebook page of the alleged Hamas operatives killed in the foiled attack, some wearing military vests and the headbands of Hamas’s armed wing.
This was the first reported case of a Hamas attack in Gaza being openly thwarted by a Palestinian armed group, albeit with IDF assistance.
In recent weeks, there have been repeated attempts by Hamas to prevent Palestinian civilians from heading to the humanitarian area in southern Gaza, the military said Friday.
According to the IDF’s latest estimates, more than 870,000 Palestinians have evacuated Gaza City to the Strip’s south, out of around a million who were residing there before the army’s latest offensive against Hamas.
Displaced Palestinians walk through a tent camp in al-Mawasi, an area that Israel has designated as a safe zone, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, September 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)Al-Astal’s armed group is not the only anti-Hamas militia operating in Gaza. Another group is led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a Bedouin commander who has been active for months in Rafah, south of Khan Younis on the Strip’s border with Egypt. Abu Shabab’s forces have drawn thousands of residents to an area under its control in eastern Rafah, where they run rudimentary schools, clinics, and public kitchens. Fighters and Israeli defense sources have confirmed that the group received military equipment from Israel.
Hamas operatives killed in strike
Separately on Friday, two Hamas operatives armed with an RPG and another firearm who approached troops of the Kfir Brigade in Gaza City were killed in a drone strike, the military said, publishing footage of the incident.
According to the IDF, during scans by troops in the area using a drone, two armed operatives were spotted approaching them.
The troops then called in an Israeli Air Force Hermes 450 UAV to strike them.
UN: Israel-designated zones in south Gaza are ‘places of death’
Meanwhile, the United Nations insisted Friday there is no safe place for Palestinians ordered to leave Gaza City and that Israel-designated humanitarian zones in the south are “places of death.”
“The notion of a safe zone in the south is farcical,” UNICEF spokesman James Elder told reporters in Geneva, speaking from the Gaza Strip, pointing out that “bombs are dropped from the sky with chilling predictability; schools, which had been designated as temporary shelters are regularly reduced to rubble, (and) tents… are regularly engulfed in fire from air attacks.”
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled Gaza City in recent weeks amid a new IDF offensive there. The military has urged them to move south, to a newly established humanitarian zone in Khan Younis.
The IDF, during the war, has declared several “humanitarian zones” in southern Gaza, where most aid is directed to and no ground operations are carried out.
Displaced Palestinians flee northern Gaza carrying their belongings along the coastal road near Wadi Gaza, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)However, airstrikes against Hamas targets — including rocket launchers and the terror group’s top military commander, Muhammad Deif — have been conducted in the humanitarian zones, with the IDF saying it takes extra precautions to mitigate civilian harm when attacking there.
The ongoing war erupted when Hamas-led terrorists rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, murdering some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 66,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting so far, though the toll cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it has killed over 22,000 combatants in battle as of August and another 1,600 terrorists inside Israel during the October 7 onslaught.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump presented a ceasefire-hostage deal proposal that would end the war in a joint press conference at the White House with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accepted the offer.
The deal is supported by European, Arab, and Muslim countries, as well as the PA. Hamas has yet to formally respond to the offer. Trump said Tuesday that the terror group would have “three or four” days to do so. Link Netanyahu is the son of a historian and would have received a failing grade. He ignores and totally disregards ine of the most important lessons of history. As George Santayana said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". Netanyahu clearly chooses to not remember the past. He has actively promoted the use and ‘partnership’ with Gazan warlords to thwart and replace Hamas and provides them with weapons and probably finances as well. There has never been a case in history that working this way with warlords has ever turned out positively for the army and government that has done so. We don’t have to look too far back to see the last colossal failure of this type of military policy. Afghanistan is a prime example where the US provided tons of weaponry and billions of dollars only to have those weapons and money be used against American forces and interests.
The war lords of Gaza are historically criminal organizations who have collaborated with Hamas when it suits their interests, including in the building and use of Hamas tunnels for smuggling all kinds of things including weapons, with some of these gangs engaged in fighting Israel at various times. They are not a replacement for any government. They may aid us in the fighting of Hamas at present, but any long term expectations should be zero.
IDF says it found two separate Hamas tunnels underneath two Gaza City hospitals
The IDF says it has uncovered a Hamas tunnel running underneath a hospital in Gaza City and an entrance to another adjacent to a separate medical center.
The first tunnel was located next to the Jordanian Hospital, in the south of Gaza City.
According to the IDF, troops of the 36th Division, including forces of the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, found an entrance to the tunnel at a Hamas compound which is adjacent to the Jordanian Hospital.
The tunnel spans a kilometer and a half, and includes a weapons manufacturing workshop and other rooms, the military says.
The IDF says that according to its intelligence, Hamas company and platoon commanders had resided in the tunnel.
The military stresses that “Hamas’s activity near the Jordanian hospital was carried out without the involvement or knowledge of the Jordanians.”
The second tunnel was found at the Hamad Hospital near the sea in northwest Gaza City. The army says that the tunnel runs underneath the medical center.
“The Hamas terror organization systematically operates in hospital areas, exploiting humanitarian facilities for military purposes. For years, the organization has built an underground system beneath hospitals throughout the Strip, used for weapon production and managing combat operations,” the IDF says.
The military adds that troops are operating in the area to map out the tunnels ahead of the demolition, and are “expanding their operations to additional sites where there are indications of terror activity.” Video
Trump thanks Israel for halt to Gaza strikes, but adds ‘Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off’
Amid reports that an Israeli airstrike killed 10 people, including children in Gaza City, US President Donald Trump expresses his appreciation that “Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing in order to give the hostage release and peace deal a chance to be completed.”
“Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off,” Trump writes on Truth Social.
“I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again,” he continues.
“Let’s get this done, FAST. Everyone will be treated fairly!” he adds, repeating an assurance ostensibly met to keep both sides on board with the fragile agreement.
Israel kills 61 despite Trump saying it has ‘stopped bombing’ Gaza
Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 61 Palestinian so far today, even as US President Donald Trump says Israel has “temporarily stopped the bombing” in order to give his plan “a chance”.
It comes after Hamas submitted its response to Trump’s Gaza plan, with the group agreeing to hand over administration of the territory to Palestinian technocrats and free all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The group’s response did not address the crucial issue of its disarmament, but it said it was willing to “immediately enter” negotiations through mediators.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 67,074 people and wounded 169,430 since October 2023. Thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble. A total of 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attacks and about 200 were taken captive. Link
- Politics and the War and General News
This battle was decided in the White House, not in Gaza
Netanyahu clung to the war out of considerations of convenience, and lost in the end all the cards that were in the possession of Israel • Opinion - Reserve General Yisrael ZivThe goal of ending the war has already been marked and it is absolute. It is indeed required to complete the complicated plan, but neither Israel nor Hamas really have an option to withdraw from the decision set by President Donald Trump.
When Benjamin Netanyahu delivered at the UN, the rebuke speech to justify the continuation of the war, only three days prior to his meeting at the White House, he still estimated that he would succeed to reproduce his previous success following “With the people as a lion” – to smear Trump and enable him backing for the continuation of the war. But he did not read the map correctly: Trump had already switched side, was locked and backed by the Arab states, and dictated to Netanyahu in a strict and uncompromising manner the end of the war. It must be said that despite the surprise that was contrary to his agenda, as an experienced politician Netanyahu turned his speech only three days earlier and delivered for the first time since the beginning of the war the peace speech, as if it were not the same man. For anyone who still had doubt regarding the seriousness of Trump’s dictate, came his reference last night (Friday) after Hamas’s unsatisfactory response and clarified – going, whatever happens, to end the war. Period.
A year too late
Israel not only has no choice against the dictate from Washington, but it really has no alternative. It is already long since beyond its peak in the war, and Netanyahu also knows well that there is nowhere to return in the fading war in Gaza. The peak was in the month of June, last year, there the Hamas military framework was crushed, and afterwards Hamas completely turned its way of fighting into a state of survival.All the continued maneuvers, including “Gideon Chariots B’”, is a needless operation, it is a political compulsion of a government whose common denominator of its activity was to cling to crumbs of success that preserved its integrity. A military operation that presents as an achieveme, the movement of the residents southward and the number of high-rises that were toppled, is a military bankruptcy. These are achievements that have been eliminating us diplomatically for a long time. Trump already understood that Netanyahu is disconnected from the meanings of the war and is not capable of making decisions on its ending, and took a decision in his place.
Israel indeed defeated Hamas militarily, but suffered a diplomatic failure. She completely lost all her levers and all her maneuvering space, and enabled Trump, when she was completely isolated from the world, to impose on her the terms of ending the war according to his conditions.
When should it have been necessary to move to the diplomatic track?
The only true way to decide, needs to pass at the right time from the military effort to the diplomatic effort, exactly at the point that one breaks the enemy’s system of functioning, and it is possible to reap the desired diplomatic achievement in which the victor dictates his conditions to the defeated, and the agreement is an expression of the victory and of the way of its realization in other ways and for a long time. Thus looks the true victory, which is supposed to be led by considerations of true statesmanship and not political ones.The prime minister knows this well, and could have moved to the diplomatic path already at the end of May last year, or in July, or even after the random elimination of Sinwar, or at the very least in the last month of March, when we had already entered into a hostage deal and Israel’s situation was still good from most aspects. Still, from non-substantive considerations, Netanyahu chose for his convenience to cling to the war, even contrary to its goals, and to delude the public with the achieving of an utopian military victory while blatantly ignoring any diplomatic option, such that had already been on his table for many months by Minister Yoav Gallant. From those points also began Israel’s diplomatic loss to deteriorate down the slope until the last vote at the UN of 142 states for recognition of a Palestinian state. What occurred in the end, the deterioration was Trump’s dictate for the end of the war. And Israel, which lost the initiative and was imprisoned in the plan against the will of the government, absorbs another humiliation from the fact that Hamas, and not Israel, is the one that says the “last word” on the deal of ending the war. Do you remember the song “Nasser is waiting for Rabin”? The new version of that song will probably not be played.
The way forward: Arab responsibility for shaping Gaza
Trump’s plan opened the royal road in both senses. Here, there is a rare opportunity for Israel. Even if Hamas will continue to come back with hard conditions, Israel can and must demand that the Arab states that are all committed to Trump’s plan, take practical responsibility, deploy their forces in the territory and assist in the implementation of the plan, even if it is “on the head of Hamas”, meaning they will enter Gaza and assist to impose the implementation of the plan. In fact, this is the option that Israel should have demanded from the outset, and avoid altogether from direct and humiliating negotiations with the terror organization that lost the war. Israel did not do that, and not even related for many long months to the Egyptian proposal. Even now Israel can and must demand this.Practically, it will not be possible to carry out Trump’s plan without an intermediate force that will bridge and keep the territory until the introduction of a large non-Hamas police force that will remain there permanently. Also for the introduction of the technocratic government such a stabilization force is required. To remove doubt, the entrance of Egyptian forces accompanied by a force from the moderate Arab states into Gaza can work successfully. Hamas is also too weak to resist and also will not dare to shoot at them. Their takeover of the territory will prevent a vacuum and also will return into our hands the hostages without the need to pay any prices. Their presence will even grant a real opportunity to make a new order in Gaza, including the introduction of the transitional government, without us being required to pay with additional soldiers’ lives. When Hamas will see that the things are happening also above him, it will fall in line.
The true victory
Hard to believe, but we are going to the end of the war. Indeed under an American dictate, but this is a very good agreement for Israel. First, it will return at last the hostages, the hard bleeding wound in the heart of all of us. It will bring to the pushing aside of Hamas and the establishment of another rule in Gaza. It will be a Palestinian Authority, but one that will undergo reform, and most important – will prevent the reestablishment of Hamas and will invest in changing the study programs that deal with the hatred of Israel. It is necessary that the reconstruction of Gaza be such that will give an alternative to the youth there without terror organizations.The IDF is not going anywhere, it will be deployed and defend against infiltrations, and after the learning of the lessons will not err again in conceptions. Also the government needs to be replaced. The trust of the people is required anew for a government that has heavy responsibility for the disaster of October 7 and the grave mistakes in the management of the war. Above all, the people of Israel need now uniting leadership and not poisoning one, such that indeed will make a judicial reform of strengthening anew of the Declaration of Independence, the foundations of democracy and liberal Zionism. link
‘This is your chance for victory’, Trump told Netanyahu
The White House has shared on social media an interview Trump gave to US news outlet Axios, describing his efforts to ensure both Israel and Hamas signed onto his 20-point Gaza plan.
“I said, ‘Bibi, this is your chance for victory.’ He was fine with it,” Trump told Axios reporter Barak Ravid, according to the report. “He’s got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you got to be fine.”
The US president also said one of his goals is to rehabilitate Israel’s image, as experts have said the country is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, spurring global outrage and mass protests.
“Bibi took it very far and Israel lost a lot of support in the world,” Trump said, using Netanyahu’s nickname. “Now, I am gonna get all that support back.” Link Trump knows that Netanyahu's political position in Israel is very unstable yet he wants to keep his BFF in the Premiership and is already trying to help in the propaganda machine that Netanyahu knows so well. He is feeding lines to the press to bolster Netanyahu's position and Netanyahu is already in a full court press of campaign worthy statements to show that he has achieved what no other could have (in his words). The Prime Minister's Office has made some stunning statements about the Trump Proposal and anything coming from the PMO is coming directly from Netanyahu. They are claiming that this proposal is an Israeli one and not American. This is actually a good thing as it commits Netanyahu to adhering to it. We'll see how long Trump allows Netanyahu to say it is an Israeli proposal as he wants all the credit, and honestly, it has nothing to do with Netanyahu or anyone else in the Israeli government, or Hamas. (more details to come on this after the deal is done and the hostages are home).
Netanyahu ‘hopes’ Hamas will present stipulations to Gaza deal
Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas says Netanyahu has “no choice” but to end the war in Gaza because Trump told him to.
“I don’t look too much into what Mr [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu says because it matters not, because tomorrow he will say something else and the next day he will say something else. There’s a very simple, very tangible test in the next few days,” Pinkas told Al Jazeera from Tel Aviv.
Following Netanyahu’s first address since Hamas agreed to Trump’s proposal, Pinkas explained that the Israeli leader “hopes Hamas presents stipulations and conditions that would make it impossible for the ceasefire”.
“[Netanyahu] is saying what he is saying to placate his coalition, not Trump, so he is very much relying on Hamas not living up to their end of this bargain,” Pinkas said.
“I don’t take anything he says as binding,” he added. Link. Netanyahu has not been in this position in any of the past proposals for ceasefire deals and certainly not to end the war. The pressure on him by Trump is undeniable and also for the first time, something that Netanyahu recognizes that he will not be able to change (at least not on any big issues, especially about ending the war). Trump's patience with Netanyahu has run out and he is up against the clock (in his own mind) regarding his chances of being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Netanyahu went to Washington with some certainty that he will be able to get Trump to back down and allow him to finish the war on his terms. For the second time, Netanyahu was not able to get Trump to change his mind (first time was with the tariffs on Israeli products). He was, however able to convince Trump to make some changes in some of the proposal's points and Netanyahu was hoping that these changes would cause Hamas to reject the proposal in its entirety. That is one of the main reasons for his surprise both by Hamas' response and even more so, by Trump's statements of acceptance of Hamas' response. Netanyahu can deny a million times that he was not surprised by Trump's statements and claim that he and Trump are 100% aligned, implying that Trump would never make a statement like that without coordination with Netanyahu. But this was done without any coordination or even a heads up by Trump to Netanyahu. It fell on Netanyahu like a ton of bricks.
Like every other deal, he did not want this one to reach any further and certainly not where it is today with serious negotiations to begin on Monday in Cairo. In the past, he would be busy coming up with the roadblock demands that he knows Hamas will never agree to in order to scuttle all negotiations. This is a different situation where he finds that Trump is all in. He is sending both Witkoff and Kushner to personally be at the negotiations. There are 2 main messages being sent by the fact that Witkoff and Kushner will be there in Cairo. The first message is for Netanyahu especially that none of his typical bullshit will be acceptable and he will not even attempt to put further demands and roadblocks, and the second and most important message is that the two Trump representatives are there to close the deal, not to begin negotiations and let them go on infinitum or till they break down. Stretching out the negotiations and/or failure are not options, period!
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Acronyms and Glossary
ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague
IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague
MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp
PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen
PMO- Prime Minister's Office
UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission
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