Overview

• Egypt- and Qatar-mediated talks have resumed on a U.S. proposal that calls for Hamas disarmament, its exclusion from governing Gaza, a phased Israeli withdrawal and an international guarantor, with President Trump voicing optimism but no agreement announced.
• Israel’s domestic pressure grew after the Shin Bet disclosed it flagged suspicious Gaza activity at 3:03 a.m. on Oct. 7, 2023, but a system failure delayed police receipt until after the attacks, and the Netanyahu government still refuses a state inquiry.
• At least 48 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with roughly half believed dead according to the American Jewish Committee; among foreign nationals, Argentines Eitan Horn and brothers David and Ariel Cunio are reported alive, while Lior Rudaeff was killed on Oct. 7 and his body taken to Gaza.
• The war’s toll has surpassed 67,000 Palestinian deaths cited by international and local sources, fueling Israel’s isolation and mass protests at home, where polling shows strong public support for a deal that trades an end to the Gaza campaign for the hostages’ return.
• Regional governments that normalized ties with Israel have not broken relations and have publicly backed the U.S. plan, while analysts describe Hamas as militarily degraded yet politically resurgent and Israel as militarily dominant yet increasingly isolated.