Media Report 2025.10.05
Trump tells Israel to stop bombs
The Age (& SMH) / AP, Reuters | 5 October 2025
Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip: US President Donald Trump has ordered Israel to stop bombing the Gaza Strip after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of his plan to end the two-year war and return all the remaining hostages taken during the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that started it.
Hamas said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. Senior Hamas officials suggested there were still major disagreements that required further negotiations.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel was preparing for an “immediate implementation” of the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan, apparently referring to the release of hostages. But his office said in a statement that Israel was committed to ending the war based on principles it has set out before, without addressing potential gaps with Hamas.
Israeli media, however, reported that the country’s political echelon had instructed the military to reduce offensive activity in Gaza.
Israel had earlier accepted Trump’s plan in its entirety. Hamas’ response to the plan fell short of Netanyahu’s demands that the group surrender and disarm.
But Trump welcomed the Hamas statement on Friday (Saturday AEST), saying: “I believe they are ready for a lasting peace.”
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out,” he wrote on social media.
Residents said Israeli tanks bombarded Talateeni Street, a major artery in the heart of Gaza City, after Trump’s message to Israel to stop. Witnesses said Israeli military planes also intensified bombing in Gaza City in the hour after Hamas issued its response to Trump’s plan, hitting several houses in the Remal neighbourhood.
Hamas said in its response to the Trump plan that aspects of the proposal touching on the future of the Gaza Strip and Palestinian rights should be decided on the basis of a “unanimous Palestinian stance” reached with other factions and based on international law.
The statement also made no mention of Hamas disarming, a key Israeli demand included in Trump’s proposal.
Trump appears keen to deliver on pledges to end the war and return dozens of hostages ahead of Tuesday’s second anniversary of the attack.
Key mediators Egypt and Qatar welcomed the latest developments, and Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said they would “continue discussions on the plan”.
The main organisation representing the families of Israeli hostages said Trump’s demand to halt the fighting was “essential to prevent serious and irreversible harm to the hostages”. It called on Netanyahu “to immediately begin efficient and swift negotiations to bring all our hostages home”.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he urged “all parties to seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end”. French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media that “the release of all hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza are within reach!”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he welcomed the progress on Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, and called on Hamas to agree to the plan and release the hostages without delay.
Earlier, Trump had warned that Hamas must agree to the deal by Sunday evening, threatening an even greater military onslaught.
Under the plan, which Trump unveiled earlier this week alongside Netanyahu, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages – about 20 of them believed to be alive, within three days. It would also give up power and disarm.
In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of the territory, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction. Plans to relocate much of Gaza’s population to other countries would be shelved.
The territory of some 2 million Palestinians would be placed under international governance, overseen by Trump himself and former British prime minister Tony Blair. The plan provides no path for eventual reunification with the Israeli-occupied West Bank in a future Palestinian state.
Palestinians long for an end to the war, but many view this and previous US proposals as strongly favouring Israel.
Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk, who is based outside Gaza, told Al Jazeera on Friday that Trump’s proposal “cannot be implemented without negotiations”.
The Hamas statement had said it was willing to return all remaining hostages according to the plan’s “formula”, apparently referring to an exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. It also reiterated its longstanding openness to handing power over to a politically independent Palestinian body.
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States of reality
The Age | Letters | 5 October 2025
States of reality
Your correspondent (Letters, 4/10) seeks to link attacks on synagogues to the recognition of a Palestinian state, noted in inverted commas as if Palestine doesn’t exist.
I suggest a look at some local World War I memorials might confirm that a place called Palestine existed before 1948 despite efforts of some to create the notion that it was a fictional or non-existent land.
However, your correspondent is correct in noting that recognition of a state partially due to terrorist-type activities does not guarantee the cessation of violence. The creation of Israel itself was aided by the activities of terrorist groups such as Irgun, Haganah and Lehi.
The violence hasn’t stopped; in fact it has increased year upon year to reach the state of slaughter that we currently witness.
If your correspondent and others of this view wish to apply this theorem, perhaps they should propose that, for the sake of consistency, the recognition of Israel be revoked.
Graeme Gardner, Reservoir
Act of piracy
Not only is the Israeli government breaking international law, it is now resorting to piracy, boarding vessels in international waters and arresting the people on board carrying humanitarian aid for the starving Palestinians. There can be no peace without justice.
Roger Christiansz, Wheelers Hill
Roots of antisemitism
Bridget McKenzie is being somewhat disingenuous accusing the PM of “creating an environment that tolerates antisemitism by recognising Palestinian statehood”.(“Manchester attack sparks bit ter domestic recriminations”, 4/10). Antisemitism has existed for the last two millennia and its increase predates Anthony Albanese’s statement at the UN. Antisemitism’s current increase started the moment that Israel reacted militarily to the actions of the terrorist group Hamas two years ago.
I might also point out that non-Israeli Jews are as responsible for Israel’s action as are Catholics for the actions and policies of the Vatican.
Les Aisen, Elsternwick
Time to act, PM
The Australian government’s hand-wringing over the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla is a moral failure. To merely issue statements of “deep concern” as civilian vessels are seized in international waters is a diplomatic gesture devoid of substance
The flotilla’s mission was clear: to bypass a land blockade that is starving the population of Gaza. For too long, Australia has relied on diplomatic ap peals to Israel to allow more aid, even as food, water, and medicine continue to be restricted. This strategy has failed.
When Australian citizens put their lives at risk to deliver vital humanitarian supplies, our government has a duty to do more than simply offer consular assistance. It has a duty to protect their mission. It must take concrete action, such as demanding the unhindered access of all humanitarian aid missions, regardless of the delivery route, and imposing consequences on any state that illegally impedes life-saving assistance.
Australia should be leading the charge for justice, not meekly standing on the side lines. The time for moral clarity is now.
Tim Singleton Norton, Reservoir
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Why only Trump could do this deal
Daily Telegraph | James Morrow | 5 October 2025
If – and there are still plenty of ifs at play – but if Donald Trump manages to get Hamas to lay down its arms, return the remaining handful of hostages and end the war in Gaza, there is absolutely no reason the US president should not be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.
Hamas has not only not said no but looks to be agreeing to release hostages, although their acceptance of other conditions to lay down their arms remains uncertain.
But something is better than nothing and the world must now wait and see if, two years after the horrors of October 7, something approaching peace can return to the Middle East.
Trump’s success so far is a rebuke to not just two years but several decades of Western doe-eyed sentimentality about the Palestinian cause, which has seen Israel demonised and condemnations of terror attacks leavened with that awful qualifier: “But”.
Here it is possible to see an instructive contrast with our own Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. While Albanese has spent the past several weeks strutting the world stage, “recognising” Palestine (whatever that means), the US president has been getting results. Utterly done with the nonsense of symbolic gestures and both-sides hand-wringing, Trump has managed to do two vitally important things. One, he has made Hamas an offer they can’t refuse. And two, he has backed this up by isolating Hamas. The terror group has no friends left. Countries from Turkey to Qatar are telling Hamas it is time to knock it off.
Trump understood that while the Palestinian cause is hugely popular in the West, it is decidedly less so in the Arab middle east. Recognising this has allowed Trump to push towards a deal, while Albanese went down the road of symbolism.
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Hamas is dangling real hope for peace
Finally a chance to end war after terrorists bow to deadline
Daily Telegraph (Herald-Sun, Courier-Mail, Hobart Mercury) | Vanessa Marsh | 5 October 2025
Terror group Hamas has agreed to most of Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan, with the US President promising a lasting peace and ordering Israel to end its bombing campaign.
Hamas has agreed to release all Israeli hostages – living and dead – and said it was ready to begin negotiations for a Middle East peace deal. It did not mention the requirement for it to disarm.
In a statement Saturday, the terror group said it had held “extensive consultations … to reach a responsible position” regarding Trump’s proposal for an end to the fighting in Gaza, set to enter its third year.
Hamas said it was ready to begin negotiations through mediators to finalise details of the arrangement.
It said it would release the remaining hostages “provided the field conditions for the exchange are met”.
There are believed to be 48 hostages still being held in Gaza – just 20 still alive.
The Islamic group also said it was willing to hand administrative control of Gaza to an independent Palestinian body – provided it is formed by national consensus involving all Palestinian factions.
Last year, polls showed Hamas was twice as popular in both Gaza and the West Bank as the Palestinian Authority.
Trump said he believed peace would now come to the Middle East.
“Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE,” Trump posted to his Truth Social page.
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!
“Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
Trump’s proposal, backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages within 72 hours, Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The plan demands the disarmament of Hamas, and insists that it and other factions “not have any role in the governance of Gaza”. Administration of the territory would be taken up by a technocratic body overseen by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump himself.
The Israeli government late Friday (local time) responded to Hamas’s tentative agreement to President Trump’s Gaza peace plan by saying it is making “preparations for the immediate implementation of the first phase” involving the release of hostages.
The office of Netanyahu released a statement to Israeli media outlets pledging to work with Trump.
“In light of the Hamas response [to the Trump peace plan], Israel is making preparations for the immediate implementation of the first phase of the Trump plan which is the immediate release of all of the hostages,” the statement read.
“We will continue to fully co-operate with the president and his team in order to end the war in accordance with the principles that Israel laid out and which are in line with President Trump’s vision.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was also “encouraged by the statement issued by Hamas”.
Meanwhile, there are signs that Trump’s embrace of the Hamas response to his peace plan is having an effect on the ground. According to Israeli Army Radio, the government has instructed military chiefs to halt the planned invasion of Gaza City.
The report indicated that the Israeli civilian leadership has told army generals to reduce activity in Gaza “to a minimum” and to limit operations to strictly defensive.
The practical implication is that the Israeli army plan to occupy Gaza City and remove its inhabitants has been effectively blocked for the moment, according to Army Radio.
Two Americans are among the dead hostages – Itay Chen, 19, and Omer Neutra, 21.
Mr Neutra’s dad, Ronen Neutra, said: “We’re hopeful that this is the beginning of the end, that Hamas gave a serious answer, that the threats of President Trump have echoed and they understand they have to give the hostages back and they’re not going to start fooling around with: ‘We can’t do this, we can’t do that’ later on. But in general that’s the direction we hoped things would go, and we’re just going to sit and wait and hope for them to lay out the agreement together with Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar. And hopefully we can see our son back with the other 47 hostages.”
The news came after Trump set a deadline of Sunday night for Hamas to agree to his peace plan or suffer “a hell like no one has ever seen before”.
In a post on Truth Social days after Israel agreed to his 20-point peace plan, the President described Hamas as a “ruthless and violent threat” and urged them to return all the October 7 hostages immediately.
“As retribution for the October 7th attack on civilisation, more than 25,000 Hamas “soldiers” have already been killed,” he wrote. “As for the rest, we know who and where you are … you will be hunted down, and killed.”
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Believe it when we see hostages
Daily Telegraph (Courier-Mail, Hobert Mercury) | Derrick Krusche | 5 October 2025
A Sydney man whose cousin was abducted by Hamas said his local Jewish networks are guardedly welcoming the terror group promising to release all remaining Israeli hostages but warn its commitment should be viewed with caution.
Hamas said on Saturday it was ready to start immediate talks on freeing the hostages it holds and the end of the Gaza war after US President Donald Trump gave them a deadline of Sunday to accept his 20-point peace proposal – or “face hell”.
Zack Shachar, a Jewish Australian based in Sydney whose young cousin Naama Levy survived being kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, said the group’s statement on being open to releasing the hostages was a step forward – but needed to be taken with caution.
“They say they will … it’s a terror organisation – what will happen in a month, two months, a year, two years? Who knows,” Mr Shachar, who has long advocated for the release of the remaining hostages, said.
“We are not pro-Israel, we are not taking any political sides here – we are just calling for the release of the hostages.”
Meanwhile, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said Hamas’ response to Mr Trump’s offer should also be viewed with restraint.
“We wait with reserved hope and trepidation that this deal becomes a reality, the hostages will come home, and Gaza is completely and permanently deradicalised,” Mr Ryvchin said. “It is clear that Hamas is now completely isolated, both politically and on the battlefield, but this is an enemy that doesn’t care how many of its people die in the war or the hardship the population endures.
“They care only for their own survival, which is why their qualified response to the peace plan must be viewed with caution. It is also clear how loathed Hamas is in the Arab world – its last pockets of support are among western activists who cling onto their fantasies of Israel and western civilisation being toppled.”
There are believed to be 48 hostages still being held in Gaza – only 20 of whom believed to still be alive.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released a statement in response to Hamas’ communique, saying he welcomed the progress on Mr Trump’s peace plan.
“We have consistently been part of international calls for a ceasefire, the return of the hostages and unimpeded humanitarian aid to reach those in need,” Mr Albanese said. “I reiterate our call on Hamas to agree to the plan, lay down its arms and release all remaining hostages without delay. Australia will continue to support efforts to end the war and work towards a just and sustainable two-state solution.”
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Pariah faces the end game
Daily Telegraph | Editorial | 5 October 2025
If Hamas really does release the remaining Israeli hostages, as it has pledged to do, and Israel really does stop its bombing campaign in Gaza, as the US has demanded, then yesterday could go down as one of the most seismic days in the modern history of the Holy Land.
The terror attack – on October 7, 2023 – that provoked the latest conflict is still as horrific to contemplate as it was on the day it happened. There can be no equivocation of the charge that every bit of carnage unleashed in the two years since is entirely the fault of the monsters who orchestrated and carried out this barbaric act.
At any time over the past 24 months, Hamas could have ended Israel’s campaign in Gaza by handing over all remaining hostages but repeatedly refused – a fact conveniently ignored by the thousands of anti-Israel protesters who have clogged Australian streets every weekend since.
And yet now, after exactly two excruciating years, it appears Hamas is finally prepared to do just that – not as a result of the endless protests or the pearl-clutching posturing of the international community, but as a result of one Donald J. Trump, the ultimate figure of derision for those same radical leftists and global elites.
Critically, the US President’s 20-point plan is also the first to win the backing of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has also been endorsed by virtually all the Arab states as well as major Muslim majority countries such as Indonesia, leaving Hamas incredibly disempowered and isolated if it continued to hold out.
Now it appears the terror group has accepted the inevitable and agreed to the central precondition of the plan – the handing over of all remaining hostages – as well as saying it agrees to the plan “in principle”.
There remains, of course, a host of complex practicalities to navigate, with innumerable potential roadblocks and trip-wires. But the best guarantor of this is not any integrity on Hamas’s part but the fact it has effectively no choice. It is fast running out of fighters and friends.
And so, incredibly, it appears Trump may be on the brink of achieving peace through strength in the most war-prone place on the planet. What a contrast that is to the peace through appeasement being pushed by apologists.
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Hamas must be laughing as our leaders gullibly play into the hands of these murderers
Daily Telegraph | Piers Akerman | 5 October 2025
President Donald Trump’s “last chance” threat to deliver “all hell” to Hamas if the terrorists failed to reach an agreement seems to have worked.
Hours after delivering the ultimatum, Hamas said it would release all 48 Israeli hostages – but it still wanted to negotiate other terms. Those terms, which include a role in a future Gaza government, may prove unacceptable to Trump and the Arab nations that have supported his positive 20-point peace plan.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under the delusion that his juvenile recognition of a Palestinian state, at the UN, “played a role in building momentum towards peace”.
He and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke played no part in the process – their bleating for a ceasefire was a hindrance. The brave young men and women of the Israeli Defence Force, who fought for the right to live behind secure borders, did.
The abject failure of Labor through the NSW Minns government, the Allan government in Victoria, and, above all, the federal government to clamp down on hate-filled pro-Palestine marches disrupting life for tens of thousands since October 7, 2023, is the most obvious sign of this moral collapse.
Labor leaders at every level have placated activist Islamists who flaunted the flags and chanted the slogans of outlawed Islamic terror bodies as the second anniversary of the invasion of Israel and subsequent murder, rape, capture and torture of civilians by members of the terrorist organisation Hamas nears.
Emboldened after jubilantly storming the Sydney Opera House on October 9, just two days after the Nova music festival massacre in Israel, there has been a sharp rise in the number of attacks on Australian Jews.
Synagogues have been attacked, cars torched and obscene graffiti spray-painted on buildings.
Craven Labor MPs have attempted to make the claim that there has been an equivalent rise of so-called Islamophobia – but can’t name one Islamic school requiring 24-hour security protection, while the need to shelter young Jewish children in patrolled school precincts is the norm.
On Yom Kippur, the holiest of days for the Jewish community, a British Muslim terrorist attacked and murdered worshippers at a Manchester synagogue. This is a global war against the West, the chants of “Free Palestine” and “From the river to the sea” are meaningless in the mouths of the keffiyeh-clad idiots.
I’ve been to the site of the slaughter; Albanese hasn’t. I’ve watched the terrorists’ own video of their massacre; neither he nor Wong have.
NSW police are still negotiating with the extreme-Left leadership of the Palestine Action Group over a planned route for a demonstration next weekend. It wants to go to the Sydney Opera House forecourt to gain maximum international publicity, as it did with its march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in August during which the black flag associated with ISIS and al-Qaeda was waved.
It was a demonstration so blatant that even the woke ABC investigated it – but there were no consequences for the demonstrators.
The PAG has claimed it wants to protest against the halting of the fleet crewed by pro-Palestinian activists, among them global-warming figurehead Greta Thunberg, who claimed they wanted to deliver food and other supplies to Gazans. When their vessels were stopped, the holds were empty.
On Friday, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna disgracefully played the moral equivalence card, explaining that October 7 was a “significant anniversary for both sides.
With due respect, those on one side want to mourn the 1195 people killed by Hamas; those placed on the same moral plane want to celebrate the invasion of a sovereign nation and the slaughter, kidnap, torture and sexual assault of civilians, including infants.
The police have taken no action against unauthorised protests, let alone acted when illegal acts occurred brazenly at authorised marches.
Pandering to Muslim minorities in Labor electorates won’t bring peace in the Middle East, but it will encourage anti-Semitism and division in our nation.
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Call for Israel to release FNQ man
Courier-Mail | Samuel Davis | 5 October 2025
Friends and family of a Far North seafarer are calling for his immediate release after being detained by the Israeli Defence Force while trying to deliver aid to the war-torn Gaza Strip.
Hamish Paterson was one of at least seven Australians who joined the Global Sumud Flotilla, made up of around 40 boats and 500 activists, including Swedish climate change advocate Greta Thunberg.
The flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli navy around 80 nautical miles from Gaza early on Thursday morning (AEST).
It’s understood Mr Paterson was sent to Ketziot prison, in the southern Israeli desert, with DFAT officials providing Australians with consular assistance.
Back home, close mate and fellow sailor Robert “Gudge” Richardson said he feared for Mr Paterson’s safety, given the IDF’s aggressive efforts to stop aid from reaching the Gaza.
“It’s outrageous,” Mr Richardson said. “They’ve got no right to be kidnapping people in international waters. That’s piracy. They have the right to freedom of navigation and not be interfered with. Our Foreign Minister should be screaming blue murder,because our citizens have been illegally abducted.”
Mr Richardson said he had worked with father of two Mr Patterson, who had spent time on giant carriers lugging iron ore between Gladstone and Weipa.
“I’ve known him for 20-odd years,” he said. “ He’s a fairly casual sort of character. He was a seaman who’d do a bit of everything around the ship.”
But Mr Patterson felt strongly about the plight of Palestinians starving and dying in Gaza and the West Bank, Mr Richardson said.
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Actors should stay out of world politics
Courier-Mail | Letters | 5 October 2025
Jennifer Lawrence joins the ever-increasing list of Hollywood celebrities who denounce Israel’s right to defend itself against its barbaric Islamic terrorist neighbour, which is committed to the annihilation of the entire Israeli population (“Jen lashes genocide, lies”, SM, 28/9).
Of course you will never hear of any Hollywood celebrities publicly supporting Israel, despite the likes of Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman, Ben Stiller, Woody Allen, Adrien Brody, Natalie Portman and Adam Sandler, just to name a few, having Jewish heritage.
This is because in Hollywood’s blindly left-wing bubble, it would be the kiss of death to do so.
Apparently poor Lawrence is “terrified for my children, for all our children” because in the US “politicians lie and there’s no empathy”.
Really? So the Hamas regime has never told any lies and has shown empathy for not just their Jewish neighbours but for anyone in Palestine who is female or gay?
If she is so terrified for children in the US, how must the parents of Israeli children be feeling with such an existential threat on their nation’s doorstep?
I’m sick of Hollywood celebrities jumping on the left-wing bandwagon and condemning the democratic governments of Israel and the US for refusing to tolerate Islamic terrorism.
Crispin Walters, Chapel Hill
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Seventh Aussie held by Israelis
Hobart Mercury | 5 October 2025
A seventh Australian has been detained by Israel after the navy caught up with the final boat in the Gaza aid flotilla.
Australian Cameron John Tribe and the crew of the Marinette got within 43 nautical miles of Gaza and evaded the Israeli navy for 38 hours before their boat was finally stopped.
The Global Sumud Flotilla live- streamed the moment Israeli forces arrived.
Mr Tribe and his friends can be seen sitting at the bow of their boat in bright orange life jackets with their hands up in surrender as an inflatable boat full of Israeli military personnel approaches.
“Hands up in the air – nobody move!” an Israeli can be heard yelling.
The activists released a final video of Mr Tribe where he stated he had been “taken against my will.”
“This humanitarian mission we are on is absolutely nonviolent and completely abiding by international law,” he said in the prerecorded video.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed Australian embassy officials in Tel Aviv are travelling to notorious desert prison in Ketziot which Israel often uses to hold terror suspects.
“They are liaising with Israeli authorities and have formally requested confirmation of the detention of any Australians,” a DFAT spokesperson told this masthead.
“Australia calls on all parties to respect international law, to ensure the safety and humane treatment of those involved.
“We understand that people want to help deliver aid to those suffering in Gaza – we also want to see critical aid delivered.
“For some time, we have warned against attempts to breach the naval blockade and strongly advised Australians not to do so because of the risks to their safety.
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Netanyahu hopes to announce release of hostages soon
Canberra Times / AAP | Sam Mednick & Samy Magdy | 5 October 2025
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9081313/netanyahu-hopes-to-announce-release-of-hostages-soon/
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days,” as indirect talks with Hamas continue in Egypt on a new US plan to end the war.
In a brief statement late Saturday, Netanyahu said he has sent a delegation to Egypt “to finalise technical details,” adding that “our goal is to contain these negotiations to a time frame of a few days”.
He spoke after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of the US plan.
President Donald Trump welcomed the Hamas statement but on Saturday warned that “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off”.
Meanwhile, Israeli bombing of Gaza City has “significantly subsided”.
Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, said an official who was not authorised to speak to the media on the record.
The official said no forces have been removed from the territory.
Still, Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah told the AP on Saturday that Israeli strikes killed five Palestinians across Gaza City, while bombing had “significantly subsided”.
The army statement came hours after Trump ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza once Hamas said it had accepted some elements of his plan.
Trump welcomed the Hamas statement, saying: “I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE”.
Trump appears determined to deliver on pledges to end the war and return all hostages ahead of the second anniversary on Tuesday of the attack that sparked it.
His proposal, unveiled earlier this week, has widespread international support.
On Friday, Netanyahu’s office said Israel was committed to ending the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
Netanyahu is under increasing pressure to end the conflict.
The official told the AP that Netanyahu put out the rare late-night statement on the Sabbath, saying that Israel has started to prepare for Trump’s plan due to pressure from the US
A senior Egyptian official said US envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt to head the US negotiating team in the talks to release the Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli detention.
Delegations from Israel and Hamas will join the talks, which will also discuss maps showing the expected withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas in Gaza, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official involved in the ceasefire negotiations also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians aimed at unifying their position toward Gaza’s future.
Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages — around 20 of them believed to be alive — within three days.
It would also give up power and disarm.
In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of Gaza, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction.
Palestinians in Gaza tried to piece together what the plan means in real terms.
“I hope Hamas ends the war, because we are truly tired,” said Mohammad Shaat in Khan Younis, as anxious Palestinians roamed the shattered streets.
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Foreign journalists visit Gaza under the supervision
Canberra Times / AAP | Sam Mednick | 5 October 2025
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9081327/foreign-journalists-visit-gaza-under-the-supervision/
An Israeli army vehicle rumbles through the empty streets of a shattered neighbourhood in Gaza City, and with help from a video camera, a soldier spots people standing inside a blasted out nearby building.
The armoured personal carrier revs its engine and moves on.
A little further along, the vehicle stops near an empty hospital formerly overseen by the Jordanian government.
A senior official speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military rules says soldiers recently found a tunnel used by Hamas adjacent to the hospital.
On Friday, the Israeli military escorted international journalists through Gaza City, the focus of a new offensive to root out Hamas, offering a rare and limited glimpse into the territory devastated by nearly two years of war and where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed.
The soldiers escorting the journalists through Gaza City portrayed their military operations as deliberate, to minimise harm to civilians – yet justified, to eliminate a militant group that has been severely weakened but remains dug in, capable of carrying out attacks and still in possession of 48 hostages.
Israel has, for two years, banned international journalists from entering Gaza, except for rare, brief visits supervised by the military, such as this one.
In August, international experts said the city was in a famine and warned that Israel’s offensive and mass displacement of people would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.
The drive into and out of Gaza City was through the Netzarim corridor, which separates northern and southern Gaza and is used as a military zone.
The route was littered with destroyed buildings and mounds of concrete.
Few signs of life were seen during the tour, which lasted several hours.
Once in Gaza City’s Sabra neighbourhood, the army took journalists to a lookout point several hundred metres away from the deserted Jordanian hospital.
The army said Hamas had been making weapons in a room beneath the hospital, while the Jordanians were aboveground, in control of the health care facility — one of many struggling to operate in recent weeks as Israeli attacks intensified.
Surrounded by destruction and collapsed buildings, the hospital shut down about two weeks ago.
What appeared to be a tube extended from one of its buildings into a mound of dirt in front of it, which soldiers said was where the tunnel was located.
A few hundred feet away, excavators moved piles of sand, as the sound of gunfire and artillery reverberated in the background.
Of Gaza’s 36 hospitals, 22 are no longer operational and the remaining 14 are only partially functional, according to the World Health Organisation.
Israel accuses Hamas of using health facilities as command centres and for military purposes, putting civilians in harm’s way, though it has presented little evidence.
Hamas security personnel have been seen in hospitals and have kept some areas inaccessible.
A soldier showed journalists videos taken from a drone that flew through the 1.5 km-long tunnel.
The video showed narrow tunnels that led to rooms, one of which showed explosives lined against the wall.
A Jordanian official speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter denied that its hospital was being used by Hamas.
The AP could not independently verify the Israeli army’s claims.
A few hundred metres from the Jordanian hospital, soldiers with the 36th division were positioned in a house they say had previously been used by Hamas.
Shards of glass and concrete blanketed the floor, wires hung from the ceiling and on the walls were handwritten instructions in Hebrew about being on duty.
Soldiers warned journalists not to stand too close to the windows because of snipers.
A day earlier, the building beside the house was hit by sniper fire, one soldier said.
On the eve of the war, Gaza City was home to roughly one million people.
Throughout the conflict, it has been the focus of regular Israeli bombardment and ground operations.
Several neighbourhoods have been almost destroyed.
Hundreds of thousands fled under Israeli evacuation orders at the start of the war, but many returned during a ceasefire earlier this year.
Before their latest campaign in Gaza City began last month, Israel warned Palestinians to evacuate south.
Earlier this week, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said people had one last chance to go, and that anyone left behind would be considered a Hamas supporter.
The senior army official leading the journalists through Gaza City on Friday was more measured, however.
“We’re trying every day to explain how much safer it is to go down to the south,” the senior official said.
“And when we get closer to areas with a lot of population, we stop and we try with other means to get them out of this area.”
While hundreds of thousands have left, many have remained, some unable to afford to move, others too weak to leave or not wanting to be displaced once again.
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Israel, Hamas and US to begin new Gaza peace talks, as Netanyahu says he wants negotiations done quickly
ABC | Eric Tlozek | 5 October 2025
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-05/new-gaza-ceasefire-talks-to-begin-in-egypt/105852826
- Representatives of Israel, Hamas and the United States are set to begin fresh talks in Egypt about how to implement Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan.
- The White House has reportedly sent special envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a former Middle East peace envoy, to Cairo for the talks.
- In Gaza, civilians were relieved and hopeful a ceasefire may happen and some thanked Hamas for accepting the proposal.
New talks on how to implement United States President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan are set to begin in Egypt tomorrow.
The White House has reportedly sent special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a former Middle East peace envoy, to Cairo for the talks on Sunday, local time.
Hamas has also sent its negotiators to Egypt and the Israeli government has indicated it will begin indirect talks on ending the war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday night that both he and President Trump wanted the negotiations concluded quickly, so the Israeli hostages could be returned by the upcoming Sukkot holiday, which starts on Monday evening.
“Our intention, and the intention of our American friends, is to bind the negotiations into a matter of days,” he said.
Mr Netanyahu also said Hamas would be disarmed, although the group has not agreed to that.
“It will happen either diplomatically, according to the Trump plan, or militarily, by us,” he said.
President Trump said in a social media post that he would not allow the deal to be delayed.
“Hamas must move quickly, or all bets are off,” he said.
The Israeli military says it has shifted from offensive to defensive operations in Gaza, although civilians and aid workers say Israeli strikes continued well into Saturday morning, after Mr Trump told Israel to stop its bombing.
In Gaza, civilians were relieved and hopeful this ceasefire might actually happen.
“I am overjoyed about the ceasefire and hope it endures. We cherish freedom and life. People simply want to live,” Tamer Abad said in the city of Deir al-Balah, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
“There were no aeroplanes last night. We hope it is sustainable and we live in peace.”
“We hope that each of us can return to our homes and cities. The thought of this is overwhelming and fills us with joy,” Amer el Kilani said.
“We wish the world would see us as we truly are, free from bias. Our people long for freedom and independence.
“The genocide carried out against the Palestinians is unparalleled in modern history.”
Others thanked Hamas for accepting the deal, which Mr Trump had proposed on Monday, US time.
“We are happy about the ceasefire. Hamas was responsive in a great way. We agree with everyone who hopes that destruction and blood will stop,” Ahmad el Madhoun said.
“We want to return to our homes, but sadly, they no longer exist.
“While one major challenge is behind us, an even greater one lies ahead.”
The developments were widely welcomed around the world in the hope that the war, which began with the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, could be ended close to its second anniversary.
“Australia welcomes progress on President Trump’s plan to bring peace to Gaza,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on the social media platform X.
“Together with our partners, Australia will continue to support efforts to end the war and work towards a just and sustainable two-state solution.”
Aid groups were hopeful the deal would allow them to bring in huge amounts of food, medicine and shelter items and start rebuilding infrastructure.
“[There is] a welcome and rare momentum to reach a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and pave the way for a long-term solution to end the decades-long conflict,” Philippe Lazzarrini, the commissioner-general of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main UN agency for Palestinians, said.
“[It is] a rare window of hope to allow the UN, including UNRWA, to address famine and suffering of over 2 million people with unspeakable needs.”
President Trump thanked specific countries for their work in convincing Hamas to accept the deal, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Türkiye.
“As it has done so many times in the past, Hamas has shown it is ready for peace,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.
“Thereby, a window of opportunity has opened for permanent peace in our region. It is very important in this respect for Israel to stop its attacks immediately.
“The sprouts of hope for peace that have blossomed should not be allowed to wither.”
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Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan could become the single best hope to end the bloodshed
ABC | Eric Tlozek | 5 October 2025
For the first time since this awful conflict began nearly two years ago, an American president has told Israel to stop — and it did.
What was huge (a favourite Trump word) about the president’s announcement on Friday (Saturday AEST) was that it appears he didn’t consult Israel before he told it to stop bombing, leaving the Israeli government little choice but to comply.
Hamas was under enormous pressure from friendly governments like Qatar and Türkiye to take the deal on offer, despite its obvious deficiencies.
It was always likely to agree to the proposal in part, with serious elements of the deal (disarmament, who will govern Gaza and whether the hostage release will be phased or complete) still disputed.
After he gave them an ultimatum on Friday — agree by Sunday evening or be killed — President Trump only had two possible responses to Hamas’s conditional acceptance.
He could have said Hamas had no wriggle room — the deal was “take it or leave it”.
But that would have exposed the fact that few other pressure tactics remain.
Israel is already invading Gaza City (again) and bombing the entirety of the strip.
Mr Trump chose the pragmatic path, acting as if Hamas had accepted the deal and thereby forcing the Israelis to stand down and stop their approach of conducting negotiations “under fire”.
That policy has hardly produced results and even the Israeli military is against advancing further in Gaza.
Hamas had agreed to previous ceasefire proposals, but several times the Israeli government changed requirements, as recently as August switching its demands from a phased to total hostage release after Hamas accepted a US ceasefire proposal.
This is the first time Mr Trump has done what many Israelis, especially the hostage relatives, have been begging — pressure Israel.
The White House remains firmly behind the Jewish state and the structure of the ceasefire deal is strongly in Israel’s favour.
But now Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused for over a year of prolonging this war for his own political purposes, is faced with a US president who looks close to getting another “win”, perhaps the one that will deliver his coveted Nobel Peace Prize.
In the long term, so many aspects of the deal, from its imposition of foreign governance upon Gaza to its blatant sidelining of Palestinian self-determination, are deeply problematic.
It is, however, the single best hope to end the bloodshed in Gaza, free the hostages and stop the horrendous deprivation and degradation caused by Israel’s siege.
Almost everyone, from the Arab countries who feel betrayed by the changing of the agreement to suit Benjamin Netanyahu to Palestinians who want an end to Israeli occupation across the Holy Land, want to stop the war regardless of those negative elements of the deal.
Mr Trump finally getting tough — even in such a limited fashion — on his Israeli counterpart is the strongest sign yet that this may be the beginning of the end.
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Trump says Gaza peace deal ‘very close’ as Israel continues airstrikes
US president tells Axios he will push to finalize a deal between Israel and Hamas in the coming days
The Guardian | Adam Gabbatt | 5 October 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/04/trump-gaza-peace-deal
Donald Trump said in an interview on Saturday that “we are very close” to a peace deal in Gaza, even as Israel continued bombing the territory.
Speaking to Axios, Trump said he would push to finalize a deal between Israel and Hamas in the coming days. Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a 20-point plan this week. Hamas has accepted part of the deal but is pushing to negotiate other aspects.
The US president recounted a conversation he had with the Israeli prime minister as the proposal took place.
“I said: ‘Bibi, this is your chance for victory.’ He was fine with it,” Trump told Axios. “He’s got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you got to be fine.”
On Friday, Trump ordered Israel to “immediately” stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agreed to release all hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. On Saturday, Israeli army radio reported that the Israeli military had been ordered to halt its campaign in Gaza City. However, Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israel had continued to carry out dozens of airstrikes and artillery shelling on the area.
Trump told Axios: “We had great receptivity for our plan – every country of the world in favor. Bibi is in favor. Hamas went a long way – they want to do it. Now we will need to close it.”
He said Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the president of Turkey, had been “very helpful” in pressing Hamas to agree to release hostages.
“Erdoğan helped a lot. He is a tough guy, but he is a friend of mine and he was great,” Trump said.
The White House plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas disarmament and a transitional government led by an international body.
Trump said he intended to help rehabilitate Israel’s global image, which has suffered as its military intervention has killed more than 60,000 people in Gaza.
“Bibi took it very far and Israel lost a lot of support in the world. Now I am gonna get all that support back,” Trump said.
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‘I feel like we are in a trap’: Gaza residents hopeful but wary of Trump’s plan
Hamas’s agreement to release all hostages and surrender power hailed internationally as Israeli attacks continue
The Guardian | Sahem Tantesh & William Christou | 5 October 2025
When Arij al-Farra heard that Hamas had partially agreed to Donald Trump’s plan and that the US president had ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza, the first thing she felt was a flicker of hope. The second thing she felt was an explosion. An Israeli aircraft had dropped a bomb close to her tent in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
Though it was luck that saved Farra from death, she took the attack as a bad omen for the prospects for peace in Gaza.
“I feel like we are in a trap. Whether Hamas agrees or not, we will not be safe … There has been no reduction in the intensity of attacks here, no Israeli aircraft has withdrawn from the sky,” said the 23-year-old English teacher who had been displaced to Khan Younis.
Farra was not alone in her scepticism of Friday’s news that Hamas’s partial acceptance of the US president’s plan would lead to an end to the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
Hamas’s agreement to release all hostages and surrender power was hailed by Trump and much of the international community as a step towards peace on Friday.
But the residents of Gaza have been here before.
Trump has on several occasions promised a ceasefire was days away, only for negotiations to suddenly collapse. Israel broke a six-week ceasefire at the beginning of the year after it unilaterally decided to resume fighting in March and besiege the territory, creating famine in parts of Gaza, according to the world’s leading authority on food crises.
“I have little hope in this deal, because every time we are on the verge of a ceasefire, something happens that changes the course of plans,” Farra explained.
Still, others could not help but hope that this could finally lead to an end to the war that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, wounded about 170,000 more and left most of Gaza destroyed.
“I am hopeful and expect that this time the deal will be more serious than previous ones,” said Abu Faris, a 43-year-old video editor living in northern Gaza. “A breakthrough in the ceasefire deal would be a good thing. It would meet the demands of the Palestinian people and give civilians in northern Gaza a sense of hope and security.”
If fully implemented, Trump’s plan to end the fighting in Gaza would be deeply unfavourable to Hamas and other Palestinian factions.
Dr Ashraf Maghari, a 48-year-old professor at the Islamic University, said: “There is a sense of mistrust because this plan was drafted by American hands and the war itself has continued with clear American support … The plan clearly serves Israel’s interests and does not include any meaningful provisions for the Palestinians.”
But to most exhausted residents of Gaza, neither politics nor the survival of Hamas were the priority.
Faris said: “My priority now is to end the war completely. If Hamas has to sacrifice itself to achieve that, then it must bear the consequences of its actions.”
He had already lost many of his close relatives to the war, and had been displaced four times, each time returning to find his home more damaged. He could lose much more if fighting did not end soon, as he was in northern Gaza, where Israeli bombardment is intense.
A UN commission of inquiry, several human rights organisations and the world’s leading association of genocide scholars have concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Israel denies the accusation and says it has only acted in self-defence. It initially launched the war on Gaza after Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on 7 October 2023.
Neither Faris nor Farra believed that Israel would negotiate an end to the war in good faith, nor that it would lead to self-determination for Palestinians. For Farra, in particular, the prospect of disarmament was a worrying one.
Nonetheless, if it led to an end to the almost relentless bombing of their homes, both said the deal would be worth it.
“Ending the war for me is not about silencing our rights. It is about taking a deep breath, reorganising ourselves, our lives, our priorities and our thoughts,” Farra said.
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Israel orders military to halt Gaza City campaign but continues strikes on the territory
IDF says it was directed to ready for first part of Donald Trump’s plan to end war in Gaza after Hamas agrees to release hostages
The Guardian |William Christou | 5 October 2025
The Israeli military has been ordered to halt its campaign in Gaza City by its political leadership, Israeli army radio reported on Saturday, while it was preparing for the first phase of Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza and release all hostages.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it was directed to “advance readiness” for the first part of the Trump plan. Army radio reported that operations in Gaza would be reduced to “the minimum” with troops meant only to carry out defensive strikes.
The orders came as the US president, Donald Trump, demanded Israel stop bombing Gaza late on Friday night after welcoming Hamas’s part-acceptance of his proposal to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
Despite Trump’s demands, Israel continued striking the Gaza Strip and besieging Gaza City on Saturday.
At least six Palestinian civilians, including two children, were killed in Israeli strikes on a house in Gaza City and a tent housing displaced people in al-Mawasi. Drones also targeted a gathering of people near a bakery in central Gaza City, killing “dozens” of people, according to Wafa, the Palestinian news agency.
Israeli military Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned residents not to return to northern Gaza or Gaza City, where Israeli troops are still operating, in a post on X on Saturday morning.
Hamas agreed to release all 48 remaining hostages and surrender governing power of the Gaza Strip, while calling for negotiations on other parts of the proposal. Trump said that based on Hamas’s response, it was ready for peace.
The office of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Friday that Israel was committed to ending the war in Gaza. After Trump’s approval of Hamas’s acceptance, the prime minister will face pressure to implement the plan, which met with widespread approval internationally and in Israel.
Israeli opposition politician Yair Lapid said on Friday night that the Trump plan was a “genuine opportunity to release the hostages and end the war” and that he would back Netanyahu politically to engage in further negotiations to finalise the deal.
Israeli negotiating teams have been instructed to prepare to resume talks today to implement the first part of Trump’s plan, according to Israeli media.
While many details of the plan and its final implementation remained unclear, momentum seemed to be building towards reaching a deal. The positive statements by both Hamas and Trump indicated that the possibility of an end to the war in Gaza was closer than in recent months, though previous ceasefire efforts have collapsed in the negotiation phase even with significant momentum behind them.
A senior Hamas official told Agence France-Presse on Saturday that Egypt was organising a conference for Palestinian factions to decide on the postwar future of the Gaza Strip, which Hamas had outlined as the way forward on the Trump plan.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a hardline militant group aligned with Hamas, said it was onboard with Hamas’s response to the Trump plan. In a statement, PIJ said Hamas’s reply “represents the position of the Palestinian resistance factions”.
The support of PIJ, which holds Israeli hostages, is a key signal that Hamas has the backing of other militant groups within Gaza to move forward with the Trump plan.
Trump’s 20-point plan calls for an immediate end to fighting in Gaza; the release of the remaining 48 Israeli hostages being held in Gaza within 72 hours in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian political prisoners; the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza; the disarmament of Hamas and a transitional authority of the strip led by Trump himself.
The plan also called for a surge of aid to Gaza, parts of which are undergoing famine due to an Israeli blockade on the territory, and the reconstruction of the devastated strip.
Hamas’s reply to the Trump plan notably did not mention anything about laying down arms, an issue that presumably will have to be resolved in future negotiations.
The Trump plan is largely seen as unfavourable to Hamas. Israel, in turn, has to give few concessions. However, Palestinians in Gaza are desperate for an end to fighting after nearly two years of devastating bombing, hunger and displacement.
Israel’s war in Gaza has killed at least 67,074 Palestinians and wounded about 170,000 according to the Gaza health authority, which says the majority of those killed were civilians. Israel launched the war after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.
A UN commission of inquiry, as well as the world’s leading association of scholars on genocide, have concluded that Israeli has committed genocide in Gaza. Israel denies the claim, saying it has only acted in self-defence.
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