Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks throughout a joint press convention with U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured) within the State Eating Room on the White Home in Washington, D.C., U.S., Sept. 29, 2025.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he hopes to announce the discharge of all hostages from Gaza “within the coming days,” as Israel and Hamas put together for oblique talks in Egypt on Monday on a brand new U.S. plan to finish the conflict.
In a quick assertion late Saturday, Netanyahu stated he has despatched a delegation to Egypt “to finalize technical particulars,” including that “our objective is to include these negotiations to a time-frame of some days.”
However Netanyahu signaled there wouldn’t be a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, one thing Hamas has lengthy demanded. He stated Israel’s navy will proceed to carry territories it controls in Gaza, and that Hamas shall be disarmed within the plan’s second section, diplomatically “or by means of a navy path by us.”
The prime minister spoke after Hamas stated it had accepted some components of the U.S. plan. President Donald Trump welcomed the militant group’s assertion however on Saturday warned that “Hamas should transfer shortly, or else all bets shall be off.”
Trump later stated the ceasefire would start instantly as soon as Hamas confirms the “preliminary withdrawal line” in Gaza. A map along with his social media put up appeared to point out a lot of Gaza nonetheless open to Israeli forces.
Trump has additionally ordered Israel to cease bombing Gaza. Some in Gaza Metropolis reported a notable easing of Israeli strikes Saturday, although hospital officers stated no less than 22 folks had been killed, together with girls and youngsters.
Israel’s military stated leaders instructed it to organize for the U.S. plan’s first section. Israel has moved to a defensive-only place in Gaza and won’t actively strike, stated an official who was not licensed to talk to the media on the document.
Nonetheless, an Israeli strike on Gaza Metropolis’s Tuffah neighborhood killed no less than 17 and injured 25 others, stated Al-Ahli hospital director Fadel Naim. “The strikes are nonetheless ongoing,” Naim stated. Israel’s navy stated it struck a Hamas member and “regrets any hurt triggered to uninvolved civilians.”
Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah earlier Saturday stated Israeli strikes killed 5 Palestinians throughout Gaza Metropolis.
Momentum forward of conflict’s anniversary
Trump seems decided to ship on pledges to finish the conflict and return all hostages forward of Tuesday’s second anniversary of the Hamas assault that sparked it on Oct. 7, 2023. His proposal has widespread worldwide assist. On Friday, Netanyahu’s workplace stated Israel was dedicated to ending the conflict.
Monday’s oblique talks are supposed to put together the best way for the discharge of hostages from Gaza and Palestinians from Israeli detention, mediator Egypt stated.
A senior Egyptian official stated U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will journey to Egypt to move the U.S. negotiating group. The talks additionally will focus on maps exhibiting the anticipated withdrawal of Israeli forces from sure areas in Gaza, stated the official who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he wasn’t licensed to temporary the media.
The official additionally stated Arab mediators are getting ready for a complete dialogue amongst Palestinians geared toward unifying their place towards Gaza’s future. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Gaza’s second strongest militant group, stated it accepted Hamas’ response after rejecting the plan days earlier.
Progress, however uncertainty forward
Beneath the plan, Hamas would launch the remaining 48 hostages — round 20 of them believed to be alive — inside three days. It might hand over energy and disarm.
In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from a lot of Gaza, launch tons of of Palestinian prisoners and permit an inflow of humanitarian help and eventual reconstruction.
Hamas stated it was keen to launch the hostages and hand over energy to different Palestinians, however that different features of the plan require additional consultations amongst Palestinians. It did not deal with the difficulty of Hamas demilitarizing.
Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli normal and chairman of Israel’s Protection and Safety Discussion board, stated whereas Israel can afford to cease firing for a number of days in Gaza so the hostages may be launched, it would resume its offensive if Hamas would not lay down its arms.
Others stated that Hamas’ place essentially stays unchanged. Its rhetoric “merely repackages outdated calls for in softer language,” stated Oded Ailam, a researcher on the Jerusalem Middle for Safety and Overseas Affairs.
Nonetheless, two vocal members of the right-wing bloc of Netanyahu’s coalition, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, criticized the plan’s progress however did not threaten to instantly go away the federal government.
And a few audio system on the massive weekly rally in Tel Aviv over the conflict expressed a cautious hope not heard for months.
A bunch representing some hostages’ households stated the prospect of seeing family members return “has by no means been nearer.” They appealed to Trump to maintain pushing “with full pressure” and warned that “extremists on either side” will attempt to sabotage the plan.
In the meantime, protests have erupted throughout Europe calling for the conflict’s finish.
Palestinians are ‘actually drained’
Some Palestinians in Gaza apprehensive that talks will break down once more.
“We wish sensible implementation. We wish a truce on the bottom,” stated Sameer Qudeeh in Khan Younis.
“I hope Hamas ends the conflict, as a result of we’re actually drained,” stated Mohammad Shaat in Khan Younis, as anxious folks roamed the shattered streets.
On Saturday, Israel’s military warned Palestinians in opposition to making an attempt to return to Gaza Metropolis, calling it a “harmful fight zone.” Two residents stated that because the morning, Israeli tanks and troops had not superior however artillery shells and airstrikes had been heard.
“We will nonetheless see the quadcopters in all places,” Mohamed al-Nashar stated.
In southern Gaza, the Palestine Crimson Crescent Society stated its Saraya subject hospital obtained 10 our bodies and over 70 injured after Israeli strikes on Saturday afternoon.
Gaza’s Well being Ministry stated the Palestinian loss of life toll within the conflict has topped 67,000. The toll jumped after the ministry stated it added greater than 700 names whose knowledge had been verified.
The Well being Ministry doesn’t say what number of had been civilians or combatants. It says girls and youngsters make up round half the useless. The ministry is a part of the Hamas-run authorities, and the U.N. and plenty of impartial specialists take into account its figures to be probably the most dependable estimate of wartime casualties.