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Israel Implements Gaza Ceasefire Plan, Triggers 72-Hour Countdown for Hamas to Release Hostages
Israeli soldiers stand next to military vehicles, after Israel’s government ratified a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza, on Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border, in Israel, Oct. 10, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Shir Torem
The ceasefire in Gaza officially went into effect at 12:00 pm local time on Friday, with Israel pulling back its forces to agreed-upon deployment lines in the enclave and triggering a 72-hour window for the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas to release the 48 hostages it is still holding captive.
Marking the third pause in fighting since the war began in October 2023, the US-backed ceasefire plan stands as the strongest effort yet to end the two-year conflict that has upended the Middle East.
Shortly after the Israeli cabinet approved the plan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump and the mediators for their efforts in securing an agreement aimed at bringing peace to the region.
“I have faced intense national and international pressure and have firmly stood my ground,” Netanyahu said during his speech. “Anyone who says this agreement was on the table from the beginning is not being truthful.”
Under the first phase of the agreement, Hamas must release all 20 living Israeli hostages and as many of the dead hostages that it can secure by Monday at noon local time. Hamas has said it will not be able to locate all the dead hostages in that time, claiming such efforts would depend on “field conditions.”
“We will work to locate all the deceased hostages as soon as possible,” Netanyahu said in his statement.
Once all hostages are released from captivity, Israel will free around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 terrorists serving life sentences.
According to Israeli officials, none of the terrorists being released participated in the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The Israeli government has also approved a last-minute exchange of several Fatah prisoners for Hamas-affiliated detainees as part of the ceasefire agreement.
Following Israel’s partial military withdrawal, its forces remain in control of 53 percent of Gaza, mostly outside of urban areas. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it will remain ready to confront any threats.
“The IDF Southern Command forces are deployed in the area and will continue to act to eliminate any immediate threats,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
US envoy Steve Witkoff posted on social media that the US military had confirmed that the IDF had completed its obligations.
CENTCOM has confirmed that the Israeli Defense Forces completed the first phase withdrawal to the yellow line at 12PM local time. The 72 hour period to release the hostages has begun.
— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) October 10, 2025
Following phase one of the deal, Hamas is supposed to disarm and have no future leadership role in Gaza, according to Trump’s 20-point peace plan. However, disarmament and other unresolved issues will be subject to negotiations once the hostages are released.
“Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza demilitarized. If it can be done the right way, all the better — if not, it will be done by force,” Netanyahu said.
As Israel and Hamas prepare for the hostage and prisoner exchange under the ceasefire deal, Trump is expected to visit the Middle East this weekend, with plans to speak before the Israeli parliament on Monday.
Trump reportedly gave Hamas personal assurances that he would not allow Israel to abandon the agreement and resume fighting unilaterally — a key factor in convincing the terrorist group to accept the deal.
Among Trump’s guarantees was the establishment of a US-led military task force to oversee the ceasefire and respond to any potential violations.
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Some Tankers Cross Strait of Hormuz Before Shots Fired, Ship-Tracking Data Shows
A satellite image shows the ship movement at the Strait of Hormuz on April 17, 2026, in Space. EUROPEAN UNION/COPERNICUS SENTINEL-2/Handout via REUTERS
More than a dozen tankers, including three sanctioned vessels, passed through the Strait of Hormuz after a 50-day blockade was lifted on Friday, shipping data showed, before Iran reimposed restrictions on Saturday and fired at some vessels.
Reopening the strait is key for Gulf producers to resume full oil and gas supplies to the world, and end what the International Energy Agency has called the worst-ever supply disruption.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday Iran had agreed to open the strait, while Iranian officials said they wanted the US to fully lift its blockade of Iranian tankers.
Western shipping companies cautiously welcomed the announcements but said more clarity was needed, including on the presence of sea mines, before their vessels could transit.
IRAN RESUMES RESTRICTIONS
The ships that passed through the strait on Friday and Saturday via Iranian waters south of Larak island were mainly older, non-Western-owned vessels and included four sanctioned ships, according to ship-tracking data.
Iran arranged passage for a limited number of oil tankers and commercial ships following prior agreements in negotiations, a spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said.
Other ships have been seen approaching the strait and turning back as Iran said it would maintain strict controls as long as the US continues its blockade of Iranian ports.
The UK Navy reported on Saturday that Iranian gunboats fired at some ships attempting to cross the strait.
Some merchant vessels received radio messages from Iran’s navy saying the strait was shut again and that no ships were allowed to pass, shipping sources said on Saturday.
Ship-tracking data showed five vessels loaded with liquefied natural gas from Ras Laffan in Qatar approaching the strait on Saturday morning.
No LNG cargoes have transited the waterway since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28.
Hundreds of ships have been stuck in the Gulf since the conflict started and Tehran closed the strait, forcing Gulf oil and gas producers to sharply cut production.
Top producers such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq and Kuwait say they need steady tanker flows and unrestricted passage through the strait to resume normal export operations.
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Trump Greenlights Russian Oil to Ease Strain on Global Markets After War with Iran
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington, DC, US, March 27, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
i24 News – The Trump administration has authorized a 30-day emergency waiver allowing the maritime purchase of Russian oil, reversing a hardline stance in an effort to stabilize skyrocketing global energy prices.
The Treasury Department announced Friday that the license for crude and petroleum products will remain in effect until May 16, 2026, responding to intense pressure from international partners struggling with the fallout of the war with Iran.
This policy pivot comes as a surprise after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested earlier this week that no further exemptions would be granted:
“As negotiations with Iran accelerate, the administration seeks to ensure oil availability for those who need it most. We must prevent a total price collapse for consumers while the geopolitical situation remains volatile.”
Ensuring global oil availability is paramount for the US as over 80 energy facilities in the Middle East have been damaged by recent war with Iran. With the November midterm elections approaching, record-high fuel prices at the pump remain a primary vulnerability for the Republican party. By allowing Russian oil back into the maritime flow, the administration hopes to neutralize “pain at the pump” before voters head to the polls.
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UK: Islamist Group Claims to Attack Israeli Embassy with ‘Drones Carrying Radioactive, Carcinogenic Materials’
A UK man has been arrested for allegedly threatening a group of Jews while wielding an ax on Rosh Hashanah. Photo: Tony Webster / Wikimedia Commons.
i24 News – British police officers in protective clothing were seen investigating a “security incident” near the Israeli embassy in London on Friday, after a jihadist group put out a video showing it launching two drones allegedly carrying radioactive and carcinogenic materials toward the embassy.
“There is an increased police presence in Kensington Gardens and officers are assessing a number of discarded items. As a precaution, some of the officers who have been deployed are wearing protective clothing. We recognize this may concern local residents and the wider public,” police said in a statement.
“Counter Terrorism Policing London are aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claims to have targeted the nearby embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances,” the statement further read. “While we can confirm that the embassy has not been attacked, we are carrying out urgent inquiries to determine the authenticity of the video and to identify any potential link between it and the items discarded in Kensington Gardens.”
The incident comes amid a steep hike in antisemitic attacks in Britain targeting Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions.
The group that released the video was identified as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, a shadowy entity with suspected ties to Iran. It has already claimed seven attacks against Jewish institutions, including an arson attack in London where four ambulances owned by the Hatzolah charity were torched.