Overview

• President Trump and mediators said both sides accepted phase one linking hostage releases to an Israeli pullback, large prisoner exchanges and expanded humanitarian access.
• Indirect talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, brokered by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt with Turkish involvement, produced the breakthrough, and reports pointed to a possible formal signing in Egypt.
• Israeli authorities say 48 hostages remain in Gaza with about 20 believed alive; a 72-hour window after signing is envisioned, though reported timelines range from Saturday to Monday.
• Israel would free roughly 250 prisoners serving life sentences and about 1,700 detainees held since October 7, as aid convoys scale up and displaced residents are allowed to return north.
• Key uncertainties persist over sequencing and verification, including the location of some hostages' remains, as well as phase-two questions on troop withdrawals, Hamas disarmament and future governance.