Death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza today reaches 29; Trump confirms visit to Egypt on Sunday | LIVE

Wrapping up today's live blog.

Join us tomorrow morning for more rolling coverage of events taking place in Lebanon, Gaza, the region and beyond.

Have a good night and see you tomorrow.

Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks today reaches 29: Wafa

The Palestinian news agency has reported that the Israeli attack on the al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City killed four Palestinians, bringing today’s death toll in Gaza to 29, despite news of a so-far fragile cease-fire.

The Gaza Civil Defense agency says more than 40 Palestinians remain trapped under the rubble of the home that was attacked in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood.

Two women were rescued after the attack, the agency said, with efforts continuing “under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions."

Trump confirms his trip to Egypt, Israel on Sunday

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he will travel to Egypt on Sunday for an “official signing” of part of the cease-fire agreement being negotiated between Hamas and Israel.

He has also said he was invited to speak at Israel’s Knesset, and he would accept.

‘Palestine now stands as the moral compass of the world,’ says British NGO CAGE

London-based advocacy organization CAGE International says the cease-fire deal is not a “gesture of goodwill” from the U.S. and Israel but due to the “resilience of the Palestinian people.”

In a statement, CAGE said that throughout the war, Palestinians’ “perseverance under unimaginable suffering has rewritten the global conversation.”

“Palestine now stands as the moral compass of the world. This truth remains clear: Liberation cannot be negotiated under occupation, and justice cannot co-exist with apartheid. Today, Israel stands politically isolated,” the organization said.

“True peace will only come with justice — when the siege is lifted, the occupation ends, and the Palestinian people live free in their land. This moment is a victory of resistance — but it must also be a call to action. We must escalate pressure, direct action, and civil disobedience until apartheid is dismantled and Palestine is completely free,” the statement added.

WHO calls for ‘unimpeded access’ to Gaza as healthcare system stands shattered

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Gaza health system is “shattered yet standing” — but desperately needs help.

“Only 13 of 36 hospitals and 62 of 179 primary care centres remain partially functional. The task ahead is immense, but WHO is committed to helping rebuild Gaza’s health system,” the agency said in a post on X.

Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says he will vote against the U.S.-brokered Gaza deal

"The hearts of all of us are filled with joy ... at the thought that all the hostages should be released ... However, alongside this joy, it is absolutely forbidden to ignore the question of the price: the release of thousands of terrorists, including 250 murderers who are to be released from prison, is an unbearably heavy price to pay," wrote Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on X.

"I cannot vote in favor of an agreement that frees these murderous terrorists, and we will oppose it within the government," he added.

The statement was released as Israel's security cabinet voted on the agreement.

Jared Kushner: 'Netanyahu and Dermer took great risks to end the war in Gaza.'

Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, said at a press conference alongside Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer had shown "great flexibility" during the negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, Haaretz reports.

"They really made significant compromises and took risks to get to an outcome," Kushner said. "They did that because they wanted the war to end, they wanted to bring their hostages home. And now they hope to see if it's possible to open a new chapter in the Middle East."

Israel kills at least 4 Palestinians in Gaza City

At least four Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza City, according to Al Jazeera, which also reports that around 40 people are "missing."

The pan-Arab media outlet said that a "series of strikes" targeted several areas in the south-west of the city, as the Israeli government is set to meet to formally adopt the cease-fire agreement.

Earlier, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported the killing of at least six other people and several injuries in other Israeli strikes.

Proposed agreement on Gaza is soon to be submitted to the entire Israeli government

Israeli government ministers are set to begin meeting now, at 10 p.m. (local time), to approve the plan for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages, according to Channel 12.

An Israeli government spokesperson said earlier that the cease-fire would take effect within 24 hours of the government meeting. After this 24-hour period, the hostages held in Gaza would be released within 72 hours. The government meeting was to follow that of the Israeli security cabinet, which has just ended.

Ben-Gvir prepared to fight long-time ally Netanyahu over Gaza

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has said he will bring down Netanyahu's government if Hamas is not dismantled, Reuters reports.

Hamas chief negotiator confirms receiving assurances from mediators that the war in Gaza is over

Hamas chief negotiator Khalil Hayyeh said that the group had received assurances from the U.S., Arab mediators, and Turkey that the war in Gaza was definitively over.

'We will not accept any foreign supervision or disarmament,' says Hamas official

One of Hamas' leaders, Osama Hamdan, said Thursday in an interview with Al Jazeera that the group will not accept "any foreign supervision" in the future post-war management of the Gaza Strip.

"The management of the Gaza Strip will be carried out within a Palestinian national framework and will be discussed during the second phase of the agreement ... We will not accept any foreign supervision, and it is time to end the occupation and create a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," said the representative of the group in Lebanon, on the sidelines of the ongoing negotiations on the cease-fire taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Trump: There will be 'disarmament and 'withdrawal' in next phase of Gaza agreement

Donald Trump said Thursday that there would be "disarmament" and a "withdrawal" of troops in the next phase of the Gaza agreement, while stating that the priority was the return of the remaining hostages.

On this subject, the U.S. president acknowledged that the bodies of some hostages would be "a little difficult to find" during a meeting of his cabinet at the White House.

Trump: 'No opinion' on two-state solution

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he has no opinion on a possible two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. "I have no opinion. I will go with whatever they decide," he said, referring to the ongoing cease-fire negotiations in Gaza.

The Trump administration has repeatedly rejected the recognition of a Palestinian state.

Gaza official says war is not over

Asem Alnabih, spokesperson for the Gaza municipality, says that "the reality on the ground has not changed" despite reports of a ceasefire coming into effect, according to Al Jazeera.

"Therefore, congratulations and celebrations may not be the best thing to do at the moment, especially as blood continues to be shed in Gaza," Alnabih wrote in a post on social media, urging residents of the Palestinian enclave to postpone any festivities.

Israeli warplanes were also reported to have flown over the area by local correspondents for the pan-Arab media outlet, indicating that they passed over Gaza at a "dangerously low altitude," "causing panic" among residents.

Egypt calls on Israel to 'de-escalate or cease-fire' until agreement is signed

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday called on Israel to "de-escalate or cease-fire" until the agreement is signed so as not to compromise its "spirit."

"It may be important for us to also make an effort to convince the Israelis to de-escalate or cease-fire pending the signing of the agreement we have reached," the Egyptian President said during a meeting in Cairo with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump signals future cooperation with Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration would work with Iran and wanted to see the country rebuild itself.

He added that Tehran had acknowledged supporting the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas as well as the agreement on hostages.

Sisi invites Trump to Egypt

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said that President Donald Trump is expected to visit Egypt next week. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi extended an invitation via a telephone conversation with Trump to attend a ceremony in Egypt marking the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

"The president is really excited about coming to Egypt, and he is scheduled to come next week," he said during a meeting with Sisi, a video of which was released by the Egyptian presidency.

From Washington, Donald Trump said he would "try" to go to Egypt for the signing of the Gaza agreement.

Al-Sisi stressed the need to implement all stages of the agreement and urged Trump to support and oversee its implementation.

During the call, al-Sisi told his counterpart that he "deserves the Nobel Peace Prize" for his efforts leading to the conclusion of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

"The hostages will be released on Monday or Tuesday," Trump says

U.S. President Donald Trump said during a cabinet meeting open to the press that the Israeli hostages "will be released on Monday or Tuesday."

"Their release is a complex process. I prefer not to tell you what they have to do to get them back," he added, while specifying that the cease-fire agreement will be signed in Egypt.

Macron: France 'ready to play a role' in international stabilization force in Gaza

French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that France is "ready to play a role" in the international stabilization force in Gaza, without specifying the details.

These comments were made during a meeting held today in Paris to "support the American initiative," during which Macron also announced the launch of an "emergency coalition for the viability of the Palestinian Authority," in cooperation with Spain, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and other countries.

The French president also said that "the next few hours will be decisive in cementing peace in Gaza."

He also denounced the acceleration of Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, saying that it "constitutes an existential threat to the State of Palestine."

"The construction of these settlements contradicts the U.S. plan and jeopardizes the Abraham Accords, even though it has nothing to do with Hamas or Oct. 7," he added.

No respite from Israeli bombs in Gaza, despite cease-fire

At least seven Palestinians killed by Israeli army in Gaza since midnight, according to WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency.

WAFA reported that at least seven Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since midnight on Thursday, despite the ceasefire coming into effect.

Ten other Palestinians died from injuries sustained in previous days or were found under the rubble, WAFA added.

In addition, several media outlets reported Israeli strikes on Gaza City and artillery fire against Gazans attempting to return to the north of the enclave.

EU diplomacy on Gaza

Head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, said ahead of a conference on Gaza in Paris that the European Union was ready to discuss how it could contribute to the peace plan for Gaza, Reuters reports.

"This is the best chance we have," she said.

Guterres: Let aid in

For real progress, the "obstacles" to humanitarian aid entering Gaza must also be removed, insists Guterres

"Silencing the guns is not enough; we must also remove the obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pleaded on Thursday after the adoption of the agreement on Gaza, which has been subject to a reinforced Israeli land and sea blockade during the two years of war.

"The U.N. is ready to provide its full support. We and our partners are ready to act now. We have the expertise, the distribution networks, and the relationships in the community on the ground to act," he assured.

He added: "Goods are in place, and our teams are ready. We can increase food, water, healthcare, and shelter assistance at a moment's notice," he promised, also calling for increased funding.

In anticipation of the big (Nobel) prize

"Give Donald Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, he deserves it!" read the official X account of the Israeli Prime Minister's office.

Gaza: Aid start trickling in

More than 150 trucks carrying international aid crossed from Egypt to Gaza on Thursday, two sources from the Egyptian Red Crescent told AFP, following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

"153 trucks carrying humanitarian aid were transported via the secondary road from the Rafah crossing to the Kerem Abu Salem crossing to be delivered to the Gaza Strip," said one of the two sources.

Among them are 80 trucks chartered by the U.N., 17 by the Egyptian Red Crescent, 21 by Qatar, and 30 by Egypt.

Iran welcomes Gaza cease-fire

Iran welcomed Thursday's cease-fire agreement in Gaza, according to AFP.

"Iran has always supported any action or initiative aimed at ending the genocidal war, [achieving] the withdrawal of occupying forces, the delivery of humanitarian aid, the release of Palestinian prisoners and the realization of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Trump to visit Israel as cease-fire underway

According to Haaretz, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in an interview with the American channel Fox News that Israel is committed to Donald Trump's plan for a cease-fire in Gaza and has no intention of resuming the war once the agreement is implemented.

A visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Jerusalem is being considered for Sunday, the Israeli presidency has said.

Gaza: Turkey to participate in monitoring implementation of cease-fire agreement

Turkey wants to participate in a working group tasked with monitoring the implementation of the cease-fire agreement in Gaza, according to a statement by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, quoted by AFP.

"We want Turkey to participate in the working group that will monitor the implementation of the agreement on the ground," said the Turkish president, whose delegation is in Egypt where negotiations are underway.

Netanyahu spokesperson says Israel will control more than half of Gaza after hostage release, Barghouti to stay in detention

Shosh Bedrosian, a spokesperson for Netanyahu's office, has confirmed that the final draft of the first phase of the Gaza cease-fire plan was signed in Egypt earlier in the day, Haaretz reports.

Bedrosian said the deal includes a 24-hour period following the cabinet meeting before the cease-fire takes effect, after which a 72-hour period for the release of hostages will begin.

According to Reuters, she also stated that Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti, currently serving five life sentences in Israeli jail, will not be part of this release, and that after the hostages are freed, the Israeli military will retain control of about 53 percent of Gaza.

Israeli forces will have 24 hours to complete first stage of withdrawal

A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously, told the Washington Post that a 24-hour deadline will be imposed for Israeli forces to make a partial withdrawal from Gaza. After those 24 hours, Hamas will have 72 hours to release the hostages, the two U.S. officials told the Post.

Farmer Ismail Nasser steps in front of an Israeli bulldozer in Kafr Shuba, southern Lebanon, to defend his plot of land. (Credit: @alishoeib1970/X)

Israeli drone attacks wounds iconic southern Lebanese farmer

An Israeli drone fired a missile at Ismail Nasser, the Lebanese farmer who, in June 2023, stood unarmed and unprotected in front of an Israeli army bulldozer that had crossed over the border and was attempting to dig up the earth.

Nasser suffered only minor injuries in the attack, while some of his livestock, which he was tending to on the outskirts of Hasbaya district's Kfar Shuba district, were killed by the drone.

Read more about his story here. 👈

Israeli official says bodies of Sinwar brothers won't be returned

An Israeli official familiar with Gaza cease-fire talks told CNN that the bodies of slain Hamas military leaders Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar are not expected to be released as part of the hostage exchange.

Yahya Sinwar became Israel’s most wanted man for his role in planning Hamas' al-Aqsa Flood operation. He was killed in combat by the Israeli army in southern Gaza in October 2024.

His younger brother, Mohammed, succeeded him as military leader of Hamas’ armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, before also being killed by Israel this year. His body was recovered by the Israeli military in June.

Al-Jamaa al-Islamiyya praises Palestinian resistance for 'forcing Israel to abandon its plans'

Al-Jamaa al-Islamiyya, a Sunni Islamist Lebanese political party, congratulated the Palestinian people and their resistance on ending the "unjust war against them ... without submitting to the occupier’s terms or conceding the rights of the Palestinian people," in a statement released in the wake of Israel and Hamas reaching an agreement on the first phase of a cease-fire.

The party praised the "epic steadfastness" of Palestinian resistance movements, which it said forced Israel to abandon "its plans to achieve its goals of displacing and exterminating the Palestinian people and liquidating their cause ... including the establishment of what was called “Greater Israel."

The statement also calls on Arab states to "launch the widest campaign of solidarity and mutual support to rebuild the Gaza Strip and to embrace the families of the martyrs and the wounded."

"We affirm that this battle, the al-Aqsa Flood battle, despite the high price the Palestinian people paid in it, broke the spine of the occupier, its arrogance and defiance, and foiled its plans."

Israel's devastating war on Gaza is expected to finally come to an end after two years of bombardment — dotted by two previous attempts at a cease-fire — under a deal that includes the release of hostages and a phased Israeli withdrawal.

But major uncertainties remain over Hamas’ disarmament, the future of Gaza’s governance, Israel's military presence and whether the cease-fire will even hold.

Read Laure-Maïssa Farjallah’s analysis for more on what’s next for the Trump plan and the challenges ahead. 👈

Israel interested in normalization following truce

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has said that the Israeli government is interested in "expanding the circle of peace and normalization" in the region following the agreement to end the war on Gaza, Reuters reports

Turkey to partake in task force locating bodies of hostages

Turkey will take part in a joint task force, alongside Israel, the United States, Qatar and Egypt, that will be established to locate the bodies of deceased hostages in Gaza whose locations are unknown, a senior Turkish official has said, as cited by Reuters.

Turkish officials took part in negotiations in Egypt that resulted in the agreement on the first phase of a cease-fire and hostage exchange deal.

Tepid reactions to Gaza truce in Beirut's Palestinian refugee camps

Reactions are relatively muted among Palestinians living in Beirut's refugee camps. In Burj al-Barajneh, in the capital's southern suburbs, the atmosphere on the street is that of any average day, with residents going about their business and no celebrations planned, says our reporter on the ground, Zeina Antonios.

One resident, Oum Ahmad, says she is "happy," but fears the Israelis will make a U-turn. "They couldn't take Gaza, so God help Hamas," she adds. Further on, two men are sitting together and smoking. They criticize "the Arab and Muslim world for letting us down."

In Shatila refugee camp, there is a little more feeling. A group of young folks is playing songs of praise to the armed resistance through loudspeakers. "Of course, Hamas is victorious," boasts one young man.

"It's not important whether we've won," says an elderly man more solemnly. "We had to stop this bloodbath."

Israeli army shells Palestinians attempting to return Gaza City

Footage broadcast on Al Jazeera's Arabic channel shows Israeli tanks firing at a crowd of Palestinians on al-Rashid Street, leading northward to Gaza City. Clouds of smoke rise from a series of consecutive strikes as people are seen running from the attacks.

The Israeli army announced earlier that it was preparing to reposition its troops in accordance with the implementation of the cease-fire agreement, but that for the time being, it remained deployed in the areas in which it had gained control.

It declared that Gaza City, from which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee as it launched an operation to seize the urban center in September, was still an active combat zone.

Hala, 11, a displaced Palestinian girl from the Naqla family in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip walks by the beach outside her family's temporary cave in Al-Zawayda, near Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, on October 9, 2025. (Credit: Bashar Taleb/AFP

NRC says all aid groups must resume work in Gaza, hundreds of trucks of aid ready to enter

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), one of the largest independent aid groups working in Gaza, said Trump's plan to increase aid to starving people as part of a cease-fire will fail unless all aid groups can resume operations, Reuters reports.

"The desperation is deeper and the exhaustion is greater than anyone can imagine inside Gaza...It's not enough with some U.N. agencies and some few NGOs," NRC chief Jan Egeland said in an interview via video link from Oslo. "If not, the Trump peace plan will not succeed...We don't have time for more bureaucratic obstacles."

In a press statement released this morning, NRC said it has "hundreds of truckloads of aid ready to enter Gaza with emergency shelter materials, education supplies, and hygiene kits."

"Our staff are on the ground and ready to scale up support," the statement reads. "We call on the international community to ensure Israel facilitates our access."

UNRWA says it has enough food ready to feed Gaza for 3 months

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini says that the organization has enough food to feed "the entire population" of Gaza for three months, ready and waiting to enter Gaza.

In a statement posted on X, Lazzarini said UNRWA supplies currently blocked by Israel from entering the Strip include "food, medicines and other basic supplies."

"Our teams in Gaza are crucial for the implementation of this agreement," the statement reads, "including to provide basic services like healthcare and education."

"There are over 660,000 children who are eagerly waiting to go back to school. UNRWA teachers stand ready to help them fulfil that. I call on all member states to support UNRWA to do its work to assist people in need in the coming critical period."

Israel confirms Gaza deal will only take effect after government approval

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office has said that the agreement to free the hostages in Gaza will only take effect after government approval, "expected this evening."

"Contrary to reports in the Arab media, the 72-hour countdown will not begin until the agreement has been approved by the government," the statement from Netanyahu's office reads. "This approval is expected in the evening."

The deal will first be reviewed by Israel's security cabinet and then presented to the full Israeli government during a meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. local time.

Saudi Arabia and Jordan welcome cease-fire deal

Saudi Arabia said it hopes "this important step will lead to urgent action to alleviate the humanitarian suffering... achieve a full Israeli withdrawal, restore security and stability, and initiate practical steps to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution," according to a statement from its foreign ministry.

Israel's neighbour Jordan also hailed the deal in a statement, saying it should "lead to the end of the war, the implementation of the exchange agreement (of hostages and prisoners) and Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid."

Smoke rises from Gaza at the site of an Israeli bombardment that took place after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed on the first phase of a cease-fire, on Oct. 9, 2025. (Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)

Displaced Palestinians sleep in the open air at a makeshift camp by the beach in al-Zawayda city, near Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip on Oct. 9, 2025, following an overnight announcement of a cease-fire deal between Hamas and Israel to be s

Israel claims 500 aid trucks entered Gaza yesterday

Nearly 510 trucks carrying humanitarian aid reportedly entered Gaza yesterday, according to claims by the Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities (COGAT) in the enclave, as cited by Times of Israel. COGAT said this was almost twice the daily average.

At least 600 trucks of aid are needed to maintain a bare minimum of health for the enclave's roughly two million people, according to humanitarian organizations.

According to COGAT, only 300 trucks’ worth of aid were collected by the United Nations and other international organizations from the Gaza side of the crossings yesterday to be distributed. The U.N. has not yet confirmed this account.

Aoun welcomes agreement between Israel and Hamas

President Joseph Aoun welcomed the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas on the first phase of a Gaza cease-fire, according to a statement released on the president's X account.

"President Aoun expressed his hope that this agreement constitutes a first step towards a permanent cease-fire and an end to the human suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people in Gaza," the statement reads.

Aoun stressed "the need to pursue international and regional efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the region, which guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative adopted by the Arab summit in Beirut in 2002."

During that summit, led by Saudi Arabia, Arab League member states all signed on to a proposal offering normalization with Israel, in return for a full withdrawal by Israel from the occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispers to U.S. President Donald Trump after handing him a note saying the Middle East peace deal is “very close” during an event at the White House in Washington, DC, on Oct. 8, 2025. "Very close," said the note,

Trump is 'likely' going to Israel for speech after Gaza deal

President Donald Trump told Axios he is "likely going to Israel in the coming days" to address Israel's parliament in the wake of the Gaza cease-fire deal.

In a brief phone interview shortly after announcing the deal, Trump said: "It's a great day for Israel and for the world."

The White House said earlier Wednesday that Trump could depart for the region some time after a physical exam on Friday.

WHO welcomes Gaza cease-fire, pledges urgent health support

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the announcement of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, calling it “a great step towards a lasting peace.” He said the agency is ready to boost its response to health needs in Gaza.

“WHO stands ready to scale up its work to meet the dire health needs of patients across Gaza, and to support rehabilitation of the destroyed health system,” Tedros said on X.

China hopes for lasting Gaza cease-fire, says 'Palestinians should govern Palestine'

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing hopes for a “permanent and comprehensive” cease-fire in Gaza as soon as possible. He added, “China advocates adhering to the principle that ‘Palestinians should govern Palestine.’”

alestinian emergency personnel celebrate after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a Gaza cease-fire, in Gaza City, Oct. 9, 2025. (Credit: Ebrahim Hajjaj/Reuters)

Merz optimistic on Gaza cease-fire

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was encouraged by the announcement of a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and expressed confidence a solution could be reached this week, AFP reports.

“We are encouraged by the developments in Israel. There is obviously a great chance of reaching an agreement with Hamas in the next few hours,” Merz said.

Smotrich says will vote against deal

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says his far-right Religious Zionism party will not support the Gaza cease-fire deal that is set to be put to a vote in Israeli government today.

According to Times of Israel, Smotrich expressed “mixed emotions” saying that while he feels “immense joy” at the pending return of the hostages, he feels “tremendous fear of the consequences of emptying the prisons and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders."

As such, he said, “We cannot join in the short-sighted celebrations or vote in favor of the deal.”

Israel's security cabinet is set to meet at 5 p.m. local time to be briefed on the truce agreement, with the full government meeting to follow.

Smotrich claims that Israel will continue fighting after the hostages are released.

Israeli opposition leaders have said they would support Netanyahu in the case of a hostage exchange being agreed upon, thus preventing the government from collapsing without Netanyahu's coalition partners.

Hamas official alludes to refusal to disarm

A statement from senior Hamas official Abdul Rahman Shadid, shared by Drop Site News, concludes with allusions to the group's refusal to disarm. "Our people will not forget the crimes of genocide committed by the occupation against children, women, and the elderly," Shadid said, "and the resistance and its weapons will remain its path to liberation from the occupation."

An Egyptian woman watches the news on a local channel in Cairo on Oct. 8, 2025, showing images of top negotiator for the Palestinian Hamas movement Khalil al-Hayya (C) arriving in Sharm al-Sheikh for talks on ending the Gaza war. (Credit: Khaled Deso

Islamic Jihad says fighters gave negotiators leverage

The Islamic Jihad movement released a statement on Telegram saying that it was the fighters that gave Hamas' delegation abroad the leverage to negotiate.

"The cease-fire and prisoner exchange agreement with the Zionist enemy was not a gift from anyone," the statement reads. "While we do not deny the role of Arab and international efforts, we affirm that it was the immense sacrifices of our Palestinian people, and the courage and valor of our fighters on the battlefield — who confronted the enemy’s forces with unprecedented bravery — that enabled the resistance to stand as an equal and powerful side at the negotiating table."

Palestinian factions in agreement with Hamas

The Popular Resistance Committees, a loose coalition of armed factions in Gaza, said it was united in accepting the agreement to a hostage exchange and cease-fire in the enclave.

"The united stance and response of the resistance factions — refusing to yield to the equation of genocide or surrender — thwarted all the Zionist enemy’s schemes," the committees said in a statement. "Despite the enormity of the crimes, the scale of destruction, and the humanitarian catastrophe, the enemy and its backers failed to uproot our people or drive them from their land."

Hamas reportedly engaged in significant consultation with the various armed factions in Gaza during the cease-fire negotiation process, particularly as the group came under immense pressure from the population in Gaza to find a way out of the war.

Israeli army blows up Mais al-Jabal house in south Lebanon

Meanwhile, in southern Lebanon, Israeli troops entered the Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal, in Marjayoun district, overnight and blew up a house there. Around 4 a.m., it rigged the uninhabited house, located in the village's southeastern neighborhood near a public school, with explosives and destroyed the building.

No one was injured in the attack, but the explosion caused significant damage to the surrounding residential houses, according to Civil Defense and the Islamic Mission Scouts who visited the scene.

Several explosions were subsequently heard, but it's not yet clear from where these explosions came. Throughout the night and early morning, Israeli drones flew over much of the South.

The first phase of the deal includes the release, in a single transaction, of the estimated 20 living hostages remaining in Gaza, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinians detained by Israel, AFP reports, citing a source within Hamas.

Israeli captives will be exchanged for 250 Palestinians held with life sentences in Israeli jails as well as 1,700 Palestinians held by Israel since Oct. 7, 2023.

Israeli army prepares for truce implementation, but 'continues to be deployed'

The Israeli army announced in a statement on X that it had "begun operational preparations" ahead of the implementation of the cease-fire in Gaza.

The process includes, according to the statement, a "transition to adjusted deployment lines," which the army said would happen "soon."

The army "continues to be deployed in the area," it says and is "prepared for any operational development."

Israeli troops control 75 percent of the Palestinian territory, and a Hamas official said the hostage release would take place "simultaneously with specific Israeli withdrawals."

Deal includes surge of aid into Gaza

A source close to the negotiators told Drop Site News that as part of the agreement, the entry of aid into the Strip, under total Israeli blockade, will resume at levels consistent with the January 2025 cease-fire deal.

Northern Gaza has been experiencing an acute, man-made famine since Israel enforced a complete ban on the entry of any supplies into Gaza as a pressure tactic during the spring truce. The ban lasted nearly three months and more than 400 people have died from starvation and malnutrition.

The source told Drop Site that 600 trucks of aid per day would enter Gaza under the agreement. According to the U.N., this is the minimum amount needed in the enclave.

Gaza City reportedly still under attack

Mohammed al-Mughayyir, an official with the Gaza's civil defense, said several Israeli strikes were reported after the announcement that a deal had been reached to end fighting in the Strip, including “a series of intense air strikes” on Gaza City, AFP reported.

“Since the announcement last night of an agreement on a proposed cease-fire framework in Gaza, several explosions have been reported, particularly in areas of northern Gaza,” Mughayyir said.

Hamas announces deal

In Hamas' statement announcing the deal, the group called on Trump and Arab states to guarantee the parameters of the cease-fire were adhered to and “to hold the occupation government accountable for fully implementing the obligations of the agreement, and not to allow it to evade or delay the application of what has been agreed upon.”

”We affirm that our people’s sacrifices will not be in vain," the statement added, "and that we remain committed to our pledge. We will never abandon our people’s national rights until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved.”

Netanyahu announces deal

“A great day for Israel," Netanyahu said from his office, in his own announcement of the agreement. "Tomorrow [Thursday] I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home.”

“I thank the brave [Israeli army] soldiers and all the security forces — it is thanks to their courage and sacrifice that we have reached this day,” he added.

The PM, wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and facing corruption charges at home, gave his “heartfelt thanks” to Trump and his team “for their dedication to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages.”

“With God’s help, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbors.”

Here is the Truth Social post by Trump announcing that negotiators had reached an agreement on the first phase of the cease-fire.

Israeli negotiators are still in Sharm al-Sheikh, Times of Israel reported, citing a senior member of the delegation. The Israelis are “working on completing the details of the agreement," with an emphasis on the list of Palestinians to be released, the negotiator said.

Preparing the list is urgent for the security cabinet and government meeting later today, the official added.

Hamas has consistently fought to have Marwan Barghouti, possibly the most popular Palestinian political leader, released during hostage exchanges. In 2004, Israel sentenced Barghouti to five life terms. According to Israel's Channel 14, Netanyahu promised Ben-Gvir on Sunday that he would not release Barghouti.

Hamas has also advocated for the release of Ahmad Sa’adat, secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and Abdullah Barghouti, a senior commander of the Qassam Brigades, who was sentenced in 2003 to 67 life terms, which is the longest sentence ever given by Israel.

The agreement on the first phase of the cease-fire deal will be signed today in Egypt, AFP reports.

According to an Egyptian source close to the negotiations, cited by Sky News Arabia, the agreement provides for a complete cease-fire, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from 70 percent of the Gaza Strip and the simultaneous release of prisoners held by both sides.

A senior Hamas official told Drop Site News that mediators had assured Palestinian negotiators that the Rafah border crossing would be reopened in both directions. Rafah is the only crossing in Gaza to anywhere besides Israel.

Good morning and welcome to today's live coverage of events in the region with special focus given to the cease-fire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Both sides announced their approval of details for the first phase of the U.S.-drawn cease-fire plan during which Israeli troops will conduct a partial withdrawal and all remaining hostages, both living and dead, will be released in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinians detained by Israel.

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