Overview

• On July 9, Hamas formally agreed to free ten Israeli hostages as part of a proposed 60-day ceasefire.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is optimistic about securing a deal but has demanded Gaza’s demilitarization and Hamas’s disarmament.
• US envoy Steve Witkoff signaled hope for a truce and hostage-release agreement by the end of the week as indirect negotiations continue.
• Israeli airstrikes have continued across the Gaza Strip, killing dozens of civilians and exacerbating shortages of food and medical supplies.
• The European Union struck a deal to expand humanitarian aid corridors into Gaza, while France’s arms exports to Israel have come under international scrutiny.