Overview

• Hamas said it is ready to release all Israeli captives and enter mediated negotiations under the U.S. plan, though it has not given unconditional confirmation or addressed disarmament.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to announce the hostages’ return in the coming days and stressed Israel will retain control of key areas as Hamas is pressed to disarm.
• Trump urged Israel to halt airstrikes to enable safe exchanges; Israel’s military said it moved to defensive-only operations with no deliberate strikes, though reports of continued casualties persisted.
• The U.S. proposal links a rapid truce to staged releases: remaining hostages freed within three days, Israel to pull back from much of Gaza and free hundreds of prisoners, and Hamas to relinquish governance and disarm.
• U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are traveling to Cairo to finalize technical arrangements with regional mediators, as critics question timelines, enforcement, and sovereignty under the plan.