Overview

• President Donald Trump says Israel accepted an initial withdrawal line and that a cease-fire would begin once Hamas confirms, as he warns the group against delays and threatens its complete destruction if it refuses to release hostages and cede control.
• The opening phase zeroes in on releasing 48 hostages — about 20 reported alive — in exchange for roughly 250 life‑sentenced prisoners and about 1,700 detainees, with the International Committee of the Red Cross preparing support for logistics.
• Israel has shifted to a defensive posture while sporadic strikes continue, and Palestinian health authorities report about 67,000 deaths after nearly two years of war.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conditions any further steps on the full return of all hostages and insists on Hamas’s disarmament, while stopping short of committing to a complete troop withdrawal.
• Hamas signals conditional engagement and seeks cease-fire terms and pullbacks during talks, as Egypt and Qatar mediate alongside U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner; Trump says progress could come within days, though tougher issues remain unresolved.