Overview

• Washington announced that both sides approved the plan’s opening phase, which links the release of hostages to an Israeli repositioning to an agreed line, as Qatar confirmed agreement on implementation mechanisms and humanitarian access.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will convene his government on Thursday to approve the accord, while Hamas issued a statement urging guarantors to ensure full implementation.
• Negotiators exchanged lists for the swap, with Hamas submitting hostages to be freed and Israel proposing Palestinian prisoners; Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, about 20 believed alive.
• Unresolved issues include the precise pullback line, sequencing and verification of releases, recoverability of some hostages’ remains, and the extent of Hamas disarmament, which mediators report could be partial.
• A U.S. team led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner is in Egypt for the talks, and President Donald Trump says he may travel to the region this weekend if progress continues.