White House Envoys Arrive in Israel to Preserve Gaza Truce
U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner made the trip ahead of a prospective visit by Vice President JD Vance later this week (Times of Israel;Times of Israel)
The United States, along with Middle Eastern and European countries, are currently negotiating a draft UN Security Council resolution that would establish the parameters of an international force to disarm Hamas (Haaretz)
Israel also said it is working to demarcate the withdrawal line in Gaza, beyond which it will fire at any resident who crosses, with visual markers (Times of Israel)
Israel Suspends and Renews Ceasefire
Israel said that Hamas fighters killed two of its soldiers in southern Gaza’s Rafah this morning; Hamas said it was committed to the ceasefire, unaware of clashes in Rafah, and had not been in touch with groups there for months (Times of Israel)
In response to the Rafah incident, Israel launched dozens of airstrikes in Gaza, killing at least forty-five people, Gaza’s civil defense agency said; each side accused the other of violating the truce (France24)
Trump appeared to validate Hamas’ explanation, saying “maybe the leadership isn’t involved” in the Rafah attack (BBC)
After today’s fighting and a report by Israel’s public broadcaster of an order to pause aid to Gaza, Israel said that the ceasefire had resumed this evening (Anadolu Agency;Reuters)
Vice President J.D. Vance said that even “the best case scenario” for peace would still progress in “fits and starts” with occasional fire, arguing that Trump’s plan remained “the best chance for sustainable peace;” he also said that ensuring Hamas was properly disarmed—a tenet of Trump’s plan—would require international forces, such as those from Gulf states, to enter Gaza (Bloomberg)
Israeli Military Fires at Palestinian Vehicle
The Israel Defense Forces accused the vehicle of crossing the ceasefire line inside Gaza; the IDF fire reportedly killed several people (Times of Israel)
Israel and Hamas continue trading accusations of ceasefire violations, as Israel threatens a return to war if the remaining hostage bodies are not returned (NBC)
More Hostages Returned As Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Remains Fragile
Hamas returned the bodies of two more Israeli hostages on Wednesday night, bringing the total number to nine; Hamas suggested that it is unable to reach the remaining nineteen bodies, although Israel has contested that claim and continues to demand their retrieval (Times of Israel)
Still, the Israeli military said it was coordinating with Egypt to reopen the Rafah crossing for passenger movement, although not humanitarian aid; the reopening date remains unconfirmed (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Hamas has continued its attacks on Gazans, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to threaten an intervention aimed at destroying Hamas (CNN)
Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to coordinate an approach to Hamas’s actions (Jerusalem Post)
France, the United Kingdom, and the United States are working together on a draft UN Security Council resolution laying the ground for an international force in Gaza, France’s foreign minister said; unnamed diplomats told Reuters that the stabilization force—one of the tenets of Trump’s Gaza peace plan—would not be a UN peacekeeping force funded by the body, but rather a UN-endorsed force, a framework currently being used in Haiti (Reuters)
Washington is in talks with Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, Indonesia, and Azerbaijan to contribute troops (Reuters)
Gaza Ceasefire Strains as Israel Accuses Hamas of Breaching Ceasefire Commitments
Israel halved the flow of aid trucks into Gaza and postponed reopening the Rafah crossing with Egypt, accusing Hamas of breaching the U.S.-brokered ceasefire by failing to return the bodies of twenty-four Israeli hostages; Hamas has so far handed over only four remains, saying others are difficult to locate under rubble (Guardian). The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed this claim, suggesting that some bodies may never be found (Haaretz)
Hamas returned the bodies of four dead hostages to Israel last night, with ICRC vehicles entering Gaza to coordinate the handover; Israeli authorities said that one of the bodies did not belong to a known hostage (BBC)
Israel returned forty-five Palestinian bodies to Gaza early Tuesday as part of the ceasefire agreement (CBC)
Hamas also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire when Israeli forces fired at Palestinians who approached them and targeted others inspecting their homes (Middle East Monitor; Reuters)
Meanwhile, Hamas has continued its campaign to reassert control over Gaza, publicly executing rivals it accuses of collaborating with Israel (Arab News)
Trump said that Hamas had communicated it would disarm, but warned that if it does not, “we will disarm them…quickly and perhaps violently” (Reuters)
Amid these developments, U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed that “Phase Two” of his peace plan would begin immediately (NBC). The UN announced that several states, including Arab and European countries, have indicated their willingness to support a $70 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza, as leaders continue rallying support for the ceasefire deal (UN)
Hamas Releases All Remaining Living Hostages, Israel Releases Palestinian Prisoners
Hamas released the last twenty living hostages taken on October 7, 2023, and Israel has commenced the release of almost two thousand Palestinian prisoners (Haaretz;AP)
Hamas released the remaining living hostages in two groups, while a forum of hostage families said they learned that the bodies of only four deceased hostages will be returned today (Guardian)
In addition to initiating the release of Palestinian prisoners, Israel allowed more aid to flow into Gaza, the UN humanitarian agency said (UN)
Trump arrived first in Israel as part of his efforts to shore up the ceasefire (NYT)
Addressing the Knesset, he said that Israel “won all that can be won by force of arms” and that now is the time to work toward “peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East” (Haaretz)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he is “committed to this peace” (Times of Israel)
Some twenty world leaders—including those of France, the Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Kingdom—attended today’s peace summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (Guardian)
Netanyahu did not attend due to a Jewish holiday, his office said (Reuters)
The document that world leaders signed appeared to list only broad principles about the future of Gaza, underscoring remaining hurdles to a lasting end to the war; U.S. President Donald Trump signed the document, as did the leaders of Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, while warring parties Israel and Hamas did not (NYT)
Details about a stabilization force in Gaza remain undecided (AP)
Trump said that the multi-phase peace plan for Gaza was “in stage three and four,” without specifying what those phases entailed; he also said he would expand the board overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction (NYT)
Meanwhile, Hamas fighters deployed across parts of Gaza in the hours following the hostage and prisoner exchange; it had done the same as the ceasefire took effect over the weekend, killing dozens of people in a crackdown on rival groups (Reuters)
Asked about Hamas rearming in Gaza, Trump said “we gave them approval for a period of time” to “stop the problems” (ABC)
Gaza Truce Enters First Phase
Israeli troops partially withdrew from their positions in Gaza today as a ceasefire took effect in the territory (Times of Israel)
The troop pullback triggered a seventy-two-hour deadline for Hamas to release its remaining hostages as part of a ceasefire deal, while Israel also published the names of the Palestinian prisoners it plans to release as part of the swap (CNN)
Meanwhile, thousands of Gazans displaced to the territory’s south during the war began walking back north (CNN)
European and Arab Foreign Ministers Meet to Discuss Plan’s Implementation
World leaders celebrated the news and the prospect of peace, as did people on the streets of Israel and Gaza (BBC;Reuters)
Secretary General António Guterres said the United States was prepared to quickly scale up humanitarian aid to Gaza once a ceasefire takes effect (NYT)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will convene his government today to approve the ceasefire and hostage release deal (Haaretz)
Trump Announces Israel and Hamas Have Agreed to Ceasefire Deal
A Qatari mediator said the first phase of the peace deal will include Hamas’s release of all hostages and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza (Reuters)
The deal will be presented to the Israeli cabinet tomorrow; once approved, the Israel Defence Forces are expected to withdraw to a predetermined line within twenty-four hours (CNN)
Hamas then has seventy-two hours to release the hostages (Guardian)
Statements from the negotiating parties did not address some of the more complex aspects of a peace proposal, including the disarmament of Hamas and the future political structure of Gaza (Axios)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that he had a “very moving and warm conversation” with President Trump, and that the two leaders congratulated each other on the deal (BBC)
Indirect negotiations were mediated by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt (NBC)
The head of Turkey’s intelligence service also participated in the talks (BBC)
Hamas Mulls Gaza Deal
Marking the second anniversary of its attack on Israel, Hamas said it seeks a U.S.-brokered agreement to end the Gaza war but insists on a permanent ceasefire, complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and reconstruction under a Palestinian technocratic body; President Trump voiced optimism as indirect talks with Israel continued in Egypt despite major sticking points (Reuters)
Meanwhile, thousands gathered across Israel to mourn the more than 1,300 killed and 251 abducted in Hamas’s assault on southern communities two years ago, as the Gaza war enters its third year; deep political rifts persist over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership and the inability to free the remaining hostages (AP)
In Europe, Greece and Slovenia received dozens of pro-Gaza activists whom Israel deported following their arrival by flotilla days earlier (BBC)
Israel and Hamas Due to Begin Indirect Talks in Egypt
Both sides have signaled broad endorsement of the plan, even as Hamas voiced reservations about some of its later phases (WaPo)
The talks will first focus on a potential exchange of Hamas-held hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel (Economist)
Israel’s prime minister’s office said that it hopes “to conclude the talks with successes” (Times of Israel)
Trump Welcomes Response to Peace Plan
Trump wrote on social media that “very positive” talks with Hamas and countries “from all over the world” occurred over the weekend (Truth Social)
He posted a photo of a Saturday demonstration in Israel calling for a hostage deal to end the war—a stance that the majority of Israelis support (Truth Social;NYT)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington wants to see “very fast” progress on a potential exchange of Hamas-held hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel (Economist)
Trump called for Israel to stop bombing Gaza after receiving Hamas’s response to his truce plan over the weekend, but Israeli strikes have continued; Gaza hospital authorities reported at least fifteen people killed (CNN)
Hamas Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages
Hamas said it was ready to discuss releasing its hostages within the plan’s framework but maintained it should be part of discussions on the future of Gaza (Reuters)
The plan, however, calls for Hamas to disarm and have no political role in Gaza’s future (CNN)
Trump designated Sunday, October 5, 6:00 p.m. ET as a deadline for Hamas to accept his plan for Gaza’s future, vowing that the group would otherwise be destroyed militarily (Reuters)
Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli air and ground attacks killed at least fifty-seven Palestinians, while Israel’s navy intercepted the final vessel of the 44-ship Global Sumud Flotilla, detaining about 500 activists who sought to breach the blockade; rights groups condemned the mass arrests as illegal (Al Jazeera; AP).
Israel Seals Gaza City
Israeli tanks blocked the main southern route from Gaza City, with Defense Minister Israel Katz calling it the “last opportunity” for hundreds of thousands still inside to leave as the army expands its offensive to isolate Hamas (Reuters)
Gaza Aid Boats Blocked
Israeli forces intercepted more than a dozen boats sailing to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza and protest Israel’s war (NYT)
Organizers of the flotilla—which included more than five hundred participants from dozens of countries—called the interception an “illegal attack” on humanitarians; Israel countered that the activists were “not interested in aid, but provocation” (CNN)
Israel maintains a blockade around Gaza and tightly controls what aid can enter, even as Gazans in parts of the enclave have been suffering from famine (CFR)
Middle East and European Leaders Welcome U.S. Plan for Gaza
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates announced their readiness to finalize and implement the plan, which they stated should lead to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Haaretz)
The Palestinian Authority called Trump’s peace efforts “sincere and determined” (BBC)
The leaders of France, Germany, India, Italy, and the United Kingdom also welcomed it (TIME)
Qatar is holding talks with Hamas negotiators and representatives from Turkey today (Guardian)
In Gaza, Israeli forces shot and shelled civilians seeking aid in the Netzarim corridor and struck sites in Muwasi and Nuseirat, killing at least thirty-one Palestinians (AP)
Netanyahu Endorses Trump’s Peace Plan for Gaza
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release plan is nearing agreement, though both Israel and Hamas “will come out somewhat unhappy” (Times of Israel)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed the plan at the White House (AP)
The plan would see Palestinians allowed to stay in Gaza, Hamas release all remaining hostages and disarm, and an international stabilization force deployed to the territory (Reuters)
Trump said that if Hamas rejects the proposal, he would fully back Israel’s course of action (NPR)
Netanyahu said in a video posted to social media following his White House visit that Israeli forces would “remain in most of the territory” as part of the plan (Guardian)
He reiterated his opposition to a Palestinian state; Trump had also acknowledged that opposition in the joint press conference (Axios)
Meanwhile, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed warned Netanyahu against annexing the West Bank, urging him to accept Trump’s Gaza peace framework instead, while suggesting that annexation could undermine further normalization with Arab and Muslim states (Reuters)
Hamas Lost Contact With Two Hostages During Israeli Assault on Gaza City
Hamas’s armed wing called on Israel to halt operations in the area while it looked for them; the Israeli military did not immediately comment on the request (Reuters)
Israeli Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Gaza
Israeli airstrikes killed at least fifty-nine people across Gaza, including in camps, residential homes, and tents in Gaza City and Shati, while others were reportedly shot while seeking aid; the attacks come as hospitals face collapse and famine conditions worsen in northern Gaza (AP)
Doctors Without Borders Suspends Operations in Gaza City
Doctors Without Borders said the Israeli military’s ground offensive in Gaza City posed a danger to its staff, explaining that its clinics were encircled by Israeli forces (NYT)
Additionally, the World Health Organization announced Israel’s Gaza City offensive has forced four hospitals to shut down this month, reducing the number of functioning hospitals in the Strip to fourteen (UN)
Israel Deepens Gaza City Offensive
Israeli forces pushed further into Gaza City, striking 170 targets and killing at least 19 people, according to local health officials (Reuters)
Before departing for New York, Netanyahu told reporters he intended to lay out Israel’s case regarding the war in Gaza and condemn the prospect of Palestinian statehood (AP)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, addressing UNGA via video after the Trump administration denied him a visa, rejected the idea that Palestinians would leave their territories, called for Hamas to disarm, and said that Hamas would play no role in the postwar governance of Gaza (NYT)
U.S. President Donald Trump said that he “will not allow” Israel to annex the West Bank—a step some Israeli politicians have pushed for after multiple Western countries recently recognized Palestinian statehood (CNN;NYT)
In the West Bank, Israel announced it would reopen the Allenby Bridge with limited hours, having shut the crossing down for Rosh Hashanah and following an attack in which a Jordanian truck driver fatally shot two Israeli personnel; the reopening is limited to passenger travel, as aid shipments to Gaza remain suspended pending new security measures and an investigation into the shooting (AFP)
Meanwhile, Microsoft announced that it had disabled some of its services to the Israeli military, saying that mass surveillance of civilians violated its terms of service (AP;Microsoft)
Witkoff Presents Peace Plan to Muslim-Majority Countries
U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff added that he believed the 21-point peace plan addressed both Israeli and regional concerns (Reuters)
Trump separately told Arab and Muslim leaders that he would not allow Israel to annex part of the West Bank, meeting attendees told multiple news outlets (FT)
Those leaders said that West Bank annexation would imperil the Abraham Accords, Trump’s first-term deal that saw Israel normalize ties with multiple Arab countries (Politico)
Israel Closes Allenby Bridge Crossing to Jordan
Israel indefinitely shut the Allenby Crossing, the main gateway between the West Bank and Jordan, following last week’s deadly attack; Israel had previously reopened the bridge following an earlier closure (Reuters)
Palestinian authorities called the closure a form of collective punishment, while analysts suggested it may also be a response to the recent wave of international recognition of Palestinian statehood (Al Jazeera)
Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli tanks pushed deeper into Gaza City, as the IDF suggests it is targeting Hamas infrastructure; hospitals have shut down amid shortages, with the Red Cross describing “astronomical levels of need” (CNN)
Israel Reopens Allenby Crossing Following Deadly Attack
Israel reopened the Allenby Crossing to car traffic four days after a Jordanian aid truck driver killed two Israeli soldiers; the crossing remains closed to Gaza-bound aid shipments pending Jordan’s investigation and updated driver inspections (Times of Israel)
Australia, Canada, Portugal, and UK Recognize Palestinian Statehood
The four Western countries called for peace and a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (NYT)
The West Bank-based Palestinian Authority welcomed the move, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a Palestinian state “will not happen” and that those endorsing Palestinian statehood following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel were rewarding terrorism (Reuters)
Netanyahu—who is due to speak at the UN on Friday and meet with U.S. President Donald Trump this week—said that Israel would announce its official response to recognition in the coming days (Times of Israel)