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Israeli military vehicles gathered near the Gaza border ahead of the scheduled release of Israeli hostages, while a cease-fire is in effect between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Oct. 12, 2025. (Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)

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The release of hostages will begin ‘early Monday morning’ in Gaza, where seven Palestinians have been killed in the past 24 hours | LIVE

What you need to know

Over 500,000 people have returned to northern Gaza since the cease-fire.

Hamas disarmament is “out of the question,” according to a movement official.

Unanimous condemnations in Lebanon after Israeli strikes on Msayleh, southern Lebanon.

The Israeli army says Saturday’s strike between Khirbet Silm and Qalawieh killed a Hezbollah member.

Several heads of state, including Trump, Erdogan and Abdullah II, to travel to Egypt for a Gaza peace summit.


19:40 Beirut Time

The Israeli drone broadcasting messages targeting Tarek Mazraani was heard over several other villages in the Nabatieh and Saida districts, including Adloun.

19:32 Beirut Time

Tarek Mazraani, the person an Israeli drone called on to leave the village of Yohmor al-Chaqif through loudspeakers, is the coordinator of the "gathering of the people of southern border villages", a group recently created that take care of people who have been displaced as a result of the conflict.

Contacted by our correspondent in the South Muntasser Abdallah, Mazraani told L'Orient Today that he was surprised by the Israeli move, adding that he condemns it and considers it a direct threat against him. As for whether he plans to leave the village, he said that he did not yet decide that, noting that he has a family and children.

Mazraani added that the gathering has no political objectives, adding that its primary goal is to help displaced people with their finances, especially that most of them are unemployed and lost their financial assets.

19:31 Beirut Time

After Israeli drones used loudspeakers to ask residents to leave the Yohmor al-Shaqif area in the Nabatieh district, drones are now broadcasting another message in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, according to our correspondent in the region. The message urges: “Drive Hezbollah out of your midst so that war does not return.”

Additionally, an Israeli drone is broadcasting provocative messages in the village of Kfar Roummane.

19:11 Beirut Time

Palestinian Authority says ready to support Trump initiative for Gaza

The Palestinian Authority is prepared to cooperate with U.S. President Donald Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in their efforts to consolidate the Gaza cease-fire and begin reconstruction, a senior Palestinian official told Tony Blair during a meeting in Amman today, Reuters reports.

Hussein al-Sheikh, vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said he met with Tony Blair to discuss the “post-war situation in Gaza” and how to make Trump’s plan to end the war and establish lasting peace in the region successful.

Trump’s plan envisions Gaza being administered by a Palestinian technocratic committee under the supervision of an international body led by Trump himself, including Tony Blair.

“We confirmed our willingness to work with President Trump, Blair, and our partners to consolidate the cease-fire, facilitate the entry of aid, release hostages and prisoners, and then launch recovery and reconstruction operations,” al-Sheikh wrote on X.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, rejected the idea of Gaza being administered by the Palestinian Authority, which will be absent from Monday’s diplomatic summit on Gaza in Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt.

18:39 Beirut Time

JD Vance announces Trump will meet hostages after their release

U.S. President Donald Trump will meet in person with the released Israeli hostages, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told CBS.

“The president is currently traveling to the Middle East, likely tonight, to meet and greet them in person,” he said.

18:39 Beirut Time

Start of domestic gas deliveries to Gaza

Palestinian media reported that the Israeli army has allowed a number of domestic cooking gas trucks to enter the Gaza Strip.

Additional fuel and gas tankers, as well as humanitarian aid trucks, are expected to enter Gaza in the coming hours, in accordance with the first phase of the Gaza cease-fire agreement, Al Jazeera added.

18:30 Beirut Time

In a statement released early in the evening, Joe Rajji said he had “given instructions to Lebanon’s permanent representative to the United Nations in New York,” Ahmad Arafa, to file the complaint. The minister also asked Lebanon’s permanent mission to publish the complaint statement and circulate it as an official document to all Security Council member states.

18:30 Beirut Time

Hamas continues to demand release of Palestinian leaders in exchange for hostages, including Marwan Barghouti

Hamas and its allies have “completed preparations” for the release of living hostages scheduled for tomorrow, but the movement continues to demand that Israel release Palestinian leaders as part of the exchange, two sources close to the negotiations and Hamas told AFP today.

“Hamas insists that the final list [of detainees to be released by Israel] include the seven senior leaders, notably Marwan Barghouti, Ahmed Saadat, Ibrahim Hamed, and Abbas al-Sayed,” one of the sources told AFP.

“Hamas and the [Palestinian] factions have completed preparations for the release of all living prisoners and several bodies that have been recovered,” the source added, a statement confirmed by another source close to the movement and the negotiations.

18:17 Beirut Time

Egyptian foreign minister confident first phase of Gaza cease-fire, hostage release will succeed

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on CBS’s Face the Nation that he believes the first phase of the Gaza cease-fire and hostage release agreement, negotiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, “will be a success,” according to Haaretz.

He added that Egypt is working at multiple levels on security arrangements, including the training and coordination of up to 5,000 Palestinian personnel who will be deployed to Gaza, alongside Jordan. The candidate lists were finalized earlier this year.

Egypt has also committed to sending its troops within a “specific framework,” subject to approval of their mandate by the UN Security Council, he said.

18:08 Beirut Time

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee commented on the incident today on X, saying that “an investigation was conducted and the procedures aimed at ensuring safety during strikes near UNIFIL positions were followed.”

According to him, the Israeli army “acted to repel suspects attempting to rebuild a Hezbollah terrorist military infrastructure in Kfar Kila by throwing a hand grenade.”

18:01 Beirut Time

An Israeli drone flew over the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif in the Nabatieh district, broadcasting a message through loudspeakers calling on “an engineer named Tarek Mazraani” to “leave the area,” according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

17:28 Beirut Time

U.S. vice president JD Vance: CENTCOM troops in Israel to monitor cease-fire, no new deployment planned

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with ABC News that American troops in Israel under U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) will have the “mission of monitoring compliance with the terms of the ceasefire” reached three days ago between Hamas and Israel, but that the United States does not plan to send additional forces.

“We already have troops under Central Command. They have been in this country for decades. Their mission will be to monitor compliance with the ceasefire: ensuring that Israeli forces adhere to the agreed line, making sure Hamas does not attack innocent Israelis, and doing everything possible to ensure that the peace we established holds and lasts. But the idea that we are going to deploy troops on the ground in Gaza or Israel is not our intention, it is not our plan. There has been some misinformation on this, but we will monitor this peace to make sure it endures,” he said, according to the interview transcript.

16:48 Beirut Time

In another post on the Grand Serail’s X account, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, to express his condolences to him, the families of the victims, and the Qatari people following the tragic car accident that claimed the lives of Qatari diplomats as they were traveling to the Sharm al-Sheikh summit.

16:47 Beirut Time

Lebanon urges UN Security Council action over Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has asked Foreign Minister Joe Rajji to file an urgent complaint with the United Nations Security Council regarding the latest series of Israeli strikes targeting civilian and commercial facilities in Msayleh, southern Lebanon, according to a statement posted on the Grand Serail’s X account.

This “aggression … constitutes a blatant violation of Resolution 1701 [2006], which ended the previous war between Hezbollah and Israel but was never fully implemented, as well as the terms of the cease-fire adopted last November between Israel and Hezbollah.”

Several Lebanese officials condemned the massive Israeli strikes, which destroyed hundreds of construction machines in Msayleh overnight from Friday to Saturday.

16:46 Beirut Time

Israel will not be represented at the Peace Summit in Egypt

Israel will not participate in the peace summit on Gaza scheduled for tomorrow in Egypt under the auspices of U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, AFP reported today, citing official sources.

“No Israeli officials will attend,” said Shosh Bedrosian, spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

16:24 Beirut Time

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed his condolences to the State of Qatar following the death of three Qatari diplomats today in a car accident near the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, where a crucial Gaza summit is scheduled to take place tomorrow.

➡️ Read more here.

16:09 Beirut Time

Release of hostages held in Gaza to begin early tomorrow morning, Israeli spokesperson says

An Israeli government spokesperson said today that the release of hostages held in Gaza will begin early tomorrow morning.

The 20 surviving hostages are expected to be released all at once, while the bodies of the 28 deceased captives will be handed over afterward, the spokesperson added. She also stated that the nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners whose release is part of the exchange will be freed once all the hostages have been received.

15:14 Beirut Time

Gaza: Seven Palestinians killed by Israeli army in past 24 hours; 117 bodies recovered

Despite the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, at least seven Palestinians were killed by the Israeli army in the past 24 hours, with an additional 33 injured, according to the latest toll published today by the Gaza Ministry of Health.

The ministry added that 117 bodies of people previously killed were recovered from under rubble or from roads and transported to hospitals in the enclave.

This brings the official toll of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire or strikes to at least 67,806 dead and 170,066 injured since the start of Israel’s offensive against Gaza in October 2023.

15:13 Beirut Time

Pope hails “a glimmer of hope in the Holy Land”

Pope Leo XIV said that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza “has brought a glimmer of hope in the Holy Land,” speaking during his Sunday prayer in front of tens of thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

“I encourage the parties involved to continue with courage along the path they have chosen, toward a just and lasting peace that respects the legitimate aspirations of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples,” he added.

14:20 Beirut Time

Only 63 of the Palestinian prisoners soon to be released by Israel under the cease-fire deal are Hamas members

The majority of Palestinian prisoners scheduled for release as part of the first phase of the cease-fire agreement are not affiliated with Hamas, according to a review conducted by Palestinian lawyers, Haaretz reports.

Of the approximately 250 prisoners set to be released this Monday, only 63 are identified as Hamas members, including 18 serving life sentences, 29 held in pretrial detention, and 16 serving shorter terms.

The review also found that among the 191 prisoners serving life sentences, 150 belong to Fatah, 18 to Hamas, and 23 to the PLO and Islamic Jihad.

14:08 Beirut Time

Israeli prime minister’s office ready to receive hostages

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that “Israel is prepared and ready to receive all hostages immediately,” following a meeting with the Israeli government coordinator for hostages and missing persons, Gal Hirsch, Haaretz reported.

14:08 Beirut Time

45 Gaza flotilla activists held by Israel arrive in Jordan

Around 45 activists detained by Israeli forces since their arrest aboard the flotilla bound for Gaza arrived in Jordan today, after several days in Israeli custody, according to the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The group crossed the border today via the Allenby Bridge crossing, in coordination with several embassies to arrange their return to their home countries. Among the activists were citizens of Tunisia, Spain, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Finland, the United States and Canada, the ministry said in a statement published on X.

Additionally, three Israelis who were part of the flotilla crew were released today after being held in Shikma Prison in Ashkelon.

14:06 Beirut Time

Palestinian Authority not invited to Sharm al-Sheikh Gaza negotiations

A senior official told the Qatari media outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the Palestinian Authority (PA) was not invited to the Sharm al-Sheikh summit on the Gaza cease-fire.

According to the source, who requested anonymity, the Palestinian leadership contacted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, as host and organizer of the summit, to request a separate meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas “to send a message that the Palestinian leadership remains the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”

However, the Egyptian president did not respond to this request due to the PA’s absence from U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan concerning the Gaza Strip.

The Qatari outlet also revealed that a meeting is scheduled today in Amman between Hussein al-Sheikh, vice president of the PA, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, vice president of the “Gaza Peace Council” under the Trump plan. This preparatory discussion is expected to address the “mechanisms for the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip” and the role it may play in the future governance of the enclave.

13:37 Beirut Time

Around 400 trucks carrying humanitarian aid are gathering on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing before entering the Gaza Strip, Egyptian media reported, as cited by Haaretz.

13:26 Beirut Time

Hamas says it is ready to release 20 Israeli hostages alive as early as today

Hamas has informed Israel that it is holding 20 Israeli hostages alive and is ready to begin their release as early as today, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal.

The message, conveyed to Israel through Arab mediators, marks the first time the movement has confirmed holding 20 Israeli captives alive.

This statement also addresses doubts about Hamas’s ability to quickly locate and gather all living hostages, given its weakened and fragmented state, and suggests a potentially accelerated release timetable.

The Israeli army has announced that it is preparing to receive the hostages as early as today evening but expects the handover to take place tomorrow — the day President Donald Trump is due to visit Israel and Egypt, according to an Israeli official.

12:57 Beirut Time

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is preparing to travel to Egypt to take part in the Middle East peace summit, according to a statement cited by Reuters

12:41 Beirut Time

Hamas will not govern Gaza after the war

Hamas will not govern the Gaza Strip after the war, a source within the movement close to the negotiations told AFP today, two days after the cease-fire with Israel came into effect.

“For Hamas, governing the Gaza Strip is a settled matter. Hamas will not take part at all in the transitional phase, which means it has relinquished control of the Gaza Strip, but it remains a fundamental component of Palestinian society,” the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

11:58 Beirut Time

Credit: David Gray / AFP

A New South Wales police officer monitors pro-Palestinian protesters as a sign depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the words ‘child killer’ is visible during a solidarity rally for Palestinians in Sydney on Oct. 12, 2025, following two years of conflict in Gaza.

11:57 Beirut Time

In Lebanon, a fragile calm prevailed following yesterday, which was marked by a series of unprecedented strikes since the cease-fire concluded last November between Hezbollah and Israel, near a residence of Nabih Berri in Msayleh.

The only incident recorded: around 3 a.m., the Israeli army demolished a house in the village of Odaisseh (Marjayoun district), according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah.

The Israeli army claimed a strike this morning on a car between Khirbet Silm and Qalawieh, reporting that the victim — Ali Hussein Sultan, from Sawaneh — was a Hezbollah member, according to a statement and our correspondent’s information.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that a grenade dropped by an Israeli drone on Saturday toward Kfar Kila (Marjayoun district) slightly injured a peacekeeper.

11:53 Beirut Time

Main news this morning:

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi and U.S. President Donald Trump will chair a “Peace Summit” in Sharm El-Sheikh tomorrow, attended by “leaders from more than twenty countries,” the Egyptian presidency announced Saturday.

“The summit aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, strengthen efforts to establish peace and stability in the Middle East, and open a new chapter of regional security and stability,” the statement said, on the second day of the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

Other heads of state expected include French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the British Prime Minister and King Abdullah II of Jordan. European Council President António Costa will also attend.

Iran, a longtime supporter of Hamas, said yesterday evening that it has “no confidence” in Israel to respect the ceasefire in Gaza, on the second day of the truce in the Palestinian enclave.

Also yesterday, a Hamas official stated that the movement “will hand over its weapons to the future Palestinian army.” Another Hamas official said the same day that disarming Hamas, planned under U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza, is “out of the question.”

Finally, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced yesterday morning that the Israeli army will destroy all Hamas tunnels in Palestinian territory after the hostages held in Gaza are released.

11:52 Beirut Time

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the situation in the Middle East, on the third day of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

We will also follow developments in Lebanon, which remains under Israeli fire despite a truce agreement reached at the end of November 2024.