Overview

• President Donald Trump said both sides signed off on the first step of his plan, a claim confirmed by Israel, Hamas and Qatar, centering on a cease-fire, a hostage–prisoner exchange and an Israeli pullback to an agreed line.
• Hamas said it has submitted lists for the swap and indicated surviving hostages would be freed within 72 hours of Israeli government approval, while Israeli officials signaled releases could begin as soon as Saturday.
• Netanyahu will convene the government Thursday to ratify the agreement, and an Israeli source told Reuters that a cease-fire would take effect upon signing with a partial military withdrawal to follow.
• Talks in Sharm el-Sheikh included U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff alongside Qatar’s prime minister, Egypt and Turkey, reflecting an intensified mediation push.
• Major questions remain over Hamas disarmament, post-war administration of Gaza and sequencing guarantees; the UN urged full adherence and expanded humanitarian access as Gaza authorities report more than 67,000 dead.