Overview

• Egypt announced it will host Israel and Hamas for negotiations on Oct. 6, with Qatar’s delegation, U.S. envoy Stephen Witkoff and Jared Kushner expected to attend.
• Hamas stated it accepts the plan’s provision for the release of all hostages and signaled readiness for talks, as mediators outline sequencing on prisoner exchanges and Israeli military steps.
• Negotiators say a deal could lead to the transfer of surviving hostages within 72 hours, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a major achievement is imminent while pressing for subsequent disarmament and Gaza demilitarization.
• Two years of fighting have left roughly 66,000–67,000 Palestinians dead, and experts and aid groups allege grave breaches of international humanitarian law, including accounts of permissive rules of engagement from an ex-reservist.
• Hostage families rallied in Tel Aviv to demand swift action, with reporting estimating about 50 people still held and roughly 20 believed alive.