HEADLINES
- Sharm ceasefire seals Gaza hostage release plan
- Israel weighs prisoner releases and troop withdrawal
- UN backs two-state path for Palestinian peace

The time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the noon edition. A ceasefire brokered in Sharm el-Sheikh between Israel and Hamas stands as the most consequential shift since the Gaza war began, a deal built to end active fighting while laying out a staged path for hostage releases and a redeployed military footprint. The principals, with the United States in a leading role, say the agreement preserves Israel’s security requirements while opening a new chapter in regional diplomacy, a chapter that could influence security and diplomacy across the Middle East in the weeks and months ahead.

At the heart of the agreement is a two-phase process centered on hostages and a redeployed military posture. In the immediate phase, negotiations point to the release of 20 living hostages and the return of the bodies of others held by Hamas, with the broader exchange and verification procedures outlined for later stages. Israel is positioned to begin a measured withdrawal from populated Gaza Strip areas, while retaining security control over a substantial portion of the territory as a buffer against renewed threats. The plan envisions that within the first phase, Israel’s military redeployment will be followed by the withdrawal to agreed deployment lines, leaving roughly half of Gaza under Israeli control along with a secure border buffer zone that includes key crossing points and perimeter corridors.

On the humanitarian and legal side, the agreement allocates a number of concessions that could have a lasting impact on Gaza’s civilian landscape. Israel has signaled that 250 Palestinian prisoners will be freed under the deal, along with the release of 1,700 residents of Gaza who were detained after the October 7 violence and were not involved in those events, plus 22 minors. In addition, 360 bodies of those killed will be returned, with the Dead receiving appropriate formalities once in Israeli custody. The parties say Red Cross coordination will govern the handling of living hostages for safety and medical evaluation before transfer to Israeli facilities, with a subsequent transition to hospitals in central Israel for medical care and family reunions where possible.

The negotiations reflect a broader framework that emphasizes not only a halt to hostilities but a reconfiguration of governance and security arrangements in Gaza. The involvement of Palestinian factions beyond Hamas — including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — is noted by mediators as significant, a point intended to reduce the risk of a blame game if the ceasefire is challenged. The mediating powers — Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States — have pressed for a rapid, peaceful implementation while warning that any serious breach could jeopardize the gains and trigger renewed action.

The domestic political calculus in Israel is closely watched as the cabinet weighs the terms. Israel’s defense and security leadership has underscored the imperative of guarding soldiers and civilians alike, while a number of ministers have pressed for careful consideration of which prisoners to release and how to structure the phased withdrawals. Critics inside the cabinet have argued over the scope of concessions, including the fate of specific names in prisoner lists, while supporters say the deal marks a necessary turning point after a long and costly conflict. The government is expected to ratify the agreement and to confirm the operational framework that will guide the redeployment and hostage releases in the days ahead, even as ministers emphasize that Israel will respond decisively to any violation of the ceasefire or violation of the agreed terms.

International observers describe the agreement as a potential inflection point, with reverberations beyond Gaza’s borders. The United Nations Secretary-General welcomed the deal as a path to Palestinian self-determination and a two-state framework, urging all parties to seize the moment to pursue a credible political process. In Europe, the diplomatic orbit around the conflict has shifted, with some governments signaling openness to broader regional normalization if security assurances endure and violence subsides. The Egyptian standpoint remains particularly influential; Cairo’s role as the lead facilitator of the talks is viewed as laying groundwork for potential economic and security benefits for Egypt, including trade routes and tourism, while maintaining a delicate balance with Gulf states and regional players.

Within the broader regional and global context, several other developments merit attention. A separate report highlights growing international caution about the war’s humanitarian footprint and its political aftermath. In the wake of the Gaza agreement, Malta’s foreign minister publicly nominated United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, crediting his diplomacy with Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as his Middle East initiatives. The United Nations Secretary-General echoed those sentiments, framing the deal as a possible route toward a negotiated Palestinian state, while warning that the moment calls for sustained engagement and credible political progress.

Meanwhile, other corners of the world carry their own implications from shifting security dynamics. In Taipei, observers say the president intends to unveil a new, all-domain air defense system designed to blunt pressure from China, signaling how regional security priorities are evolving in light of continuing tensions in Asia. In Havana, thousands demonstrated outside the US Embassy to protest the Gaza war, even as Israel and Hamas publicly embraced the cease-fire; the demonstration underscores the global reach of the conflict’s consequences, from diplomatic pressure to public opinion. In Brussels and other capitals, discussions continue about the long-term architecture of security guarantees and international peacekeeping arrangements that could accompany postwar stabilization.

Back in Israel, the immediate future remains focused on the civilian and military tasks that follow a pause in fighting. Government spokespeople have outlined a timeline that emphasizes the safe transfer of hostages to Red Cross teams, the careful medical and psychological support for those freed, and the logistical complexity of moving people and bodies through a newly defined Gaza framework. Israel also faces ongoing security challenges along its borders and within its own communities, where political leaders have cautioned against complacency and urged continued vigilance to counter potential threats. For its part, the United States has pledged to support Israeli actions should Hamas or other militant groups violate the core principles of the Trump plan and threaten Israel’s security, a commitment many observers see as critical to maintaining the credibility of the ceasefire and deterring renewed aggression.

The cease-fire announcement represents a milestone that could alter the trajectory of the Gaza crisis and reshape regional alignments. If the phased hostage releases proceed smoothly, and if the withdrawal and redeployment do not provoke new violence, the deal could open doors to normalization efforts and a broader peace process that has long eluded this region. Yet the path remains guarded by questions about disarmament, the durability of the security arrangements, and the willingness of all parties to adhere to an agreement that binds competing political and military objectives. As observers weigh the risks and the potential gains, the coming days will be crucial in testing whether this moment can translate into a lasting pause and a credible plan for a more stable future.

And that is the situation as we see it at noon. This is how it stands, and this is what is at stake as the parties move from negotiation rooms to the ground in Gaza, and as allies weigh their own roles in shaping what comes next. That is the way it is.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

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