Trump’s plan faces hurdles as Israel expects army to have ‘operational freedom’

Far-right Israeli politicians have gone relatively quiet as negotiations towards the implementation of Trump’s Gaza plan are set to begin.

Mairav Zonszein, a senior Israel analyst at the International Crisis Group, says that’s because they understand that the Israeli army will have operational freedom to use force for an extensive period of time before the details of the proposal will be sorted out.

That means there will be plenty of occasions to derail the plan, which provides Israel with multiple loopholes, Zonszein told Al Jazeera.

“I think they all understand that if they can get the hostages out, then all the details about disarmament and what Gaza is going to look like the day after are going to be very difficult to pursue anytime soon,” she said. “So they’re going to be able to continue using military force, freedom of operation.”

She said it will take a lot from the Trump administration and other actors to force Israel to agree to, and maintain, a ceasefire in Gaza. “And I’m pretty sure that most of the Israeli leaders right now are sure that it’s going to, at some point, fall through,” Zonszein explained.

Another major sticking point, she added, will be the withdrawal of Israeli troops, which is tied to Hamas’s disarmament – a provision that the Palestinian group has not committed to yet.

Trump says first phase of Gaza plan ‘should be completed this week’

The US president says “there have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and Countries from all over the World” over the weekend as part of his efforts to release captives and end the Gaza war.

“These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST.”

In all caps, he added: “Time is of the essence or, massive bloodshed will follow – something that nobody wants to see!”

Massive bloodshed has been going on daily for nearly 2 years.


Trump’s peace plan for Gaza is hopeful but unrealistic: Former US envoy

Thomas Pickering, a former US ambassador to Israel and the UN, says that while there is evidence of a real push from Trump to end the war in Gaza, the US president’s plan also shows “some serious inexperience in handling negotiations with two warring parties in the Middle East”.

He noted, for instance, that most of the US proposal’s 20 points will need to be negotiated. “So the optimism is hopeful, but at the moment, I think somewhat unrealistic, but I’m perfectly pleased if I’m proved wrong,” Pickering told Al Jazeera.

It is also not clear, the former diplomat added, what the plan envisages for the recognition of a Palestinian state since Netanyahu has been clear about opposing any such move.

Trump’s plan offers a vague nod to Palestinian statehood, saying: “While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA [Palestinian Authority] reform programme is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognise as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.”


That's because the plan is only to get the prisoners out... The rest is there only to get the European, Arab and Muslim countries onboard. The Palestinians were never asked. 

Trump wants to be the one to say "I got the hostages out", the rest will go nowhere, just like his Ukraine 'mediation'.

It's up to the rest of the world to end the genocide as per the Geneva conventions.

Main events on October 5th

• Hamas says its delegation, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, has arrived in Egypt ahead of negotiations on Trump’s Gaza plan; Israel says its negotiators will leave on Monday for the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh.
• Trump says discussions with Hamas, other countries this weekend have been “very positive”, adding that the first phase of his proposal “should be completed this week”.
• One in five Gaza babies is born prematurely or underweight, the UN has said, urging critical humanitarian access to the bombarded enclave.
• Israel has killed at least 94 Palestinians across Gaza over the past two days despite Trump calling on Israel to stop its bombing campaign, the enclave’s Government Media Office says.
• During a visit to Israeli troops inside Gaza, the head of Israel’s army, Eyal Zamir, says that while there is no ceasefire, there is a change in the “operational situation”.
• The Global Sumud Flotilla says dozens of participants detained in Israel have started a hunger strike in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Lawyers for the flotilla say the Israel Prison Service plans to deport about 170 activists on Monday.

UK govt. moves to ‘ban’ Gaza protests; concern over Greta Thunberg’s condition

Two developments have sent shockwaves across the west and both are retained to the goings on in Gaza. First, the UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced to change a law that would have quite an adverse impact on the future protests on Gaza. And then reports have emerged that Greta Thunberg was ill-treated in captivity after she was held captive from the international waters a few days ago. Rifat Jawaid explains what it means for the western society and why people must not remain silent to these developments.

Why 'Disarming Hamas' is a Distraction

Drop Site's Ryan Grim and Jeremy Scahill discuss why the focus of "disarming Hamas" is a distraction.

"Focusing on the issue of demilitarization implies that Israel's genocide is justifiable because of some pistols and rifles and homemade explosive devices that remain in the hands of the Palestinian resistance...

You're talking about a nuclear-armed country that is using the most sophisticated weaponry in the world fighting against people wearing Adidas sandals, keffiyehs, and homemade incendiary devices that they're—I have to say—quite bravely running and dropping them in Israeli tanks. It's not like they're launching cruise missiles from another nation at Israel."

If they want to 'disarm' Hamas, Israel will need to clean up all the unexploded bombs all over Gaza...

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/thousands-of-unexploded-israeli-bombs-have-become-key-resource-for-hamas-wing-in-gaza-report/3559371
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-05-06/ty-article/.premium/unexploded-israeli-bombs-gift-hamas-firepower-worth-millions-and-cost-soldiers-lives/00000196-a4b4-dbb0-af9f-afb622860000

Live from Conscience Boat to Gaza, FFC & TMTG

Gaza City residents endure another night of air raids

It was a very rocky and devastating night for families, especially in Gaza City. Air strikes targeted several residential buildings, especially in the Tal al-Hawa area, the Shati refugee camp and the Nassr area.

We heard from the civil defence crew that they are still scrambling to retrieve the bodies of people killed in previous attacks. They say they are also operating without sufficient fuel or adequate equipment.

The night has brought no calm for civilians still trapped in Gaza City. Still, they hope for a pause in hostilities for Hamas to retrieve the bodies of the captives and to secure those who are still alive.

In the south and central Gaza, we see drones, and we can also see Israeli naval warships that are operating close to shore as a warning to those families still making a journey south that safety is not completely guaranteed.

Israeli army says it launched attacks in Gaza City

The Israeli army has carried out a series of assaults on Gaza City even as Trump called for a halt to the bombing amid ongoing talks. Footage released by the Israeli army shows what appears to be a large explosion in Gaza.

In a statement posted on X, the Israeli army said it targeted Palestinian fighters. It added that a mortar bomb was also launched at its forces, injuring one soldier.

Since last month, the Israeli army has intensified its assault on Gaza City in a plan to seize the besieged enclave’s biggest city.


_{An explosion is seen following the Israeli attack on Omar al-Mukhtar Street in Gaza City, on October 3}

‘This is not life’: Displaced Palestinians in makeshift tents wait to return home

In southern Gaza, displaced Palestinians say they remain trapped in conditions that are getting worse, hoping a ceasefire deal will allow them to return to what remains of their homes in the north.

Nada, whose husband was killed while looking for food, now lives in a makeshift tent of blankets and plastic with her two daughters.

“We don’t know where to go or what to do,” she said. “I’m alone with my children, separated from my family. We don’t have food, water or clothes. We pray a deal is reached and we will be among the first to go back to the north, although my home has been destroyed.”

Ataf, another displaced Palestinian woman, said her house was destroyed in the early days of the war.

“I held my ground as long as I could, but Israeli missiles and shells were flying all around,” she said.

“We set out south on foot with my children and grandchildren, but two of my sons could not make it. I pray this all comes to an end and we can go back to my neighbourhood. It’s where I was born and raised. This is not life.”

More than 1,150 soldiers killed since war started, says Israel

At least 1,152 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, according to figures published by Israel’s Defence Ministry.

About 42 percent of these soldiers were under the age of 21, and the figure includes soldiers, police officers, Shin Bet and special operations forces.

The figure includes those killed in the October 7 attack. (373 security forces killed on Oct 7)

Children among those wounded by Israeli attack in Gaza City

A number of Palestinians, including children, have been wounded after an Israeli attack targeted the vicinity of the al-Rum School in the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City, an ambulance and emergency source told Al Jazeera.

Gaza death toll reaches 67,160

At least 67,160 people have been killed and 169,679 wounded by Israeli attacks across Gaza since October 2023, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. It added that 21 Palestinians were killed and 96 wounded in the last 24 hours.

With ceasefire talks in Egypt, Palestinians in Gaza hope for end to the war

As officials from Israel, Hamas and countries trying to mediate an end to the war in Gaza gather in Egypt, Palestinians in Gaza are hoping for a quick agreement.

“If there is a deal, then we survived. If there isn’t, it is like we have been sentenced to death,” said Gharam Mohammad, 20, who is displaced along with her family in central Gaza.

In southern Gaza, displaced Palestinians said they remain trapped in conditions that are getting worse, hoping a ceasefire would allow them to return to what remains of their homes in the north.

Nada, whose husband was killed while looking for food, now lives in a makeshift tent of blankets and plastic with her two daughters.

“We don’t know where to go or what to do,” she said. “I’m alone with my children, separated from my family. We don’t have food, water or clothes. We pray a deal is reached and we will be among the first to go back to the north although my home has been destroyed.”

What’s happening in the occupied West Bank?

Israeli drone attack kills 2 people in southern Lebanon

At least two people have been killed and one wounded after an Israeli drone attack on a vehicle travelling to the southern Lebanese town of Zebdine, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.

Israeli army claims to have killed Hezbollah fighter in southern Lebanon

As we reported earlier, at least two people have been killed in an Israeli drone attack on a vehicle in southern Lebanon. Now, the Israeli army claims one of those killed was Hezbollah fighter Hassan Ali Jamil Atoui.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in November following more than a year of hostilities, including a two-month all-out war. Israel, however, has continued carrying out attacks, with both sides accusing each other of violating the agreement.

And the other? Oops? Not that assassinations are legal, especially not under ceasefire. And it's all too easy to claim they were targeting Hezbollah, like everyone is Hamas in Gaza... 

Israeli ceasefires are meaningless.

More Gaza flotilla activists allege mistreatment in Israeli detention

International activists deported from Israel after joining an intercepted Gaza aid flotilla have given further accounts of mistreatment by guards during their detention.

Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers had withheld medicines and treated the detained activists “like monkeys”.

The latest claims added to the growing scrutiny of Israel on Sunday for its treatment of the activists.

Some 450 participants in the flotilla were abducted between Wednesday and Friday as Israeli forces intercepted the boats, which were seeking to break a naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Palestinians in the besieged territory.

Flotilla lawyer says activists’ hearings began without legal counsel

A lawyer representing activists detained from the Global Sumud Flotilla says they have been subjected to mistreatment and denied basic rights while held in an Israeli prison.

Lubna Tuma – legal counsel with Adalah, a human rights group and legal centre – said the detainees have been subjected to conditions that “reflect the wider system of abuse faced by Palestinian prisoners”.

“Numerous activists started the administrative procedure without having a legal counsel,” Tuma said, adding that many were kept in rooms about 3 metres (3.3 yards) wide.

She said detainees were handcuffed “from behind for more than five hours” and denied food, water and medical care.

“When we asked if they saw a doctor or received any medical treatment, they said no one saw them,” she added.

Tuma also said activists described being insulted and mocked, adding that women, particularly those wearing hijabs, were “treated much more harshly” and some were “prohibited from wearing the hijab or praying”.

In a statement, the Global Sumud Flotilla said: “This is not an isolated case, it exposes the same methods routinely used against Palestinians under occupation: humiliation, deprivation, and collective punishment.”

Israel deports 171 Gaza flotilla activists, including Greta Thunberg

The deportees have been sent to Greece and Slovakia, according to the Israeli army.

It said the deportees are citizens of Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Serbia and the US.

What to know about today’s Gaza talks in Egypt

Delegations from Israel and Hamas are set to discuss a plan to end the war in Gaza.

Here is what we know about the talks taking place in Egypt:

At least all of the "administrative detainees" should be released, they are the very definition of hostages. All the military trials should be reviewed as well and redone in a real court with actual evidence...

But Israel is not serious about any of it anyway, they'll simply re-arrest those that get released as they have been doing.


Trump’s personal stakes in Gaza talks could shape negotiations: Analyst

What appears to be Trump’s personal investment in ending the war in Gaza and returning all captives could make this new round of negotiation talks different from previous failed efforts, says Mohamad Elmasry, professor of media studies at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

“He keeps saying this would be the first peace in 3,000 years; it’s an absurd statement on its face, but it suggests he feels a sense of accomplishment, and if that is the case, he can apply real pressure on Israel to end the war,” Elmasry told Al Jazeera. “In many ways, he controls the cards here.”

Elmasry said the Israelis, at the talks in Egypt, will focus on getting the captives back “and worry about the rest later”.

For Hamas, it will be looking for some guarantees on contentious issues such as the Israeli withdrawal, governance and the group’s disarmament – a key provision of the 20-point US plan to which the Palestinian group has not committed yet.

Trump’s Gaza plan ignores accountability for war crimes: Human Rights Watch

Trump’s Gaza plan is no substitute for urgent international action to protect civilians and ensure accountability for serious crimes committed during Israel’s war against Palestinians, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The group added that the US president’s 20-point plan does not directly address human rights issues or accountability for grave abuses. It urged governments to impose arms embargoes and targeted sanctions and support the International Criminal Court in line with their legal obligations to prevent and stop violations by all parties, regardless of whether Trump’s plan advances.

“The two years since October 7, 2023, have brought a seemingly endless stream of atrocities against civilians for which there has been no let-up or justice,” said Omar Shakir, HRW’s Israel and Palestine director.

“Governments should not wait for the adoption of Trump’s or any other plan to take action to prevent further harm to those most at risk.”

The group added that the scale of destruction in Gaza and the pattern of attacks demonstrate the Israeli government’s contempt for its obligations under international law.

That's because part of the plan is to get people to forget about the genocide, starvation and all the other war crimes.

Peace in Middle East not possible without Palestinian state: Egypt’s president

Real peace in the Middle East will not be achieved unless an independent Palestinian state is created based on the principles of international legitimacy that restore rights to their rightful owners, Egypt’s President el-Sisi has said.

He said a ceasefire, the exchange of captives and Palestinian prisoners, redevelopment of Gaza, and the initiation of a peaceful political pathway towards the creation and recognition of a Palestinian state represent the correct track towards lasting peace and stability.

Egypt is currently hosting talks between Israel and Hamas. They are also attended by mediators seeking an end to the war.

How likely is a quick breakthrough?

As negotiators gather in Egypt, a Palestinian official close to the discussions has expressed scepticism about the prospect of a breakthrough, citing deep mistrust between the sides. The official told Reuters that Hamas and other Palestinian factions fear Israel could abandon the negotiations once the captives in Gaza are released.

A thorny issue is expected to be the Israeli demand for Hamas’s disarmament, something the group insists cannot happen unless Israel ends its occupation and a Palestinian state is created, according to a Hamas source quoted by the news agency.

Trump has sounded optimistic, saying in a social media post, “The first phase should be completed this week,” but an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters he expected this round of talks would not be quick.

The discussions are expected to last at least a few days if not longer. A quick agreement is unlikely, the official said, as the goal is to reach a comprehensive deal with all details finalised before any ceasefire could come into force.

Momentum is already fading, plus Netanyahu will drum up more support for continuation of the genocide on the Oct 7 anniversary.

Freed Global Sumud Flotilla activists expose Israeli abuse in detention

"You can only imagine how Israel treats Palestinians every single day.” Freed Global Sumud Flotilla activists detail abuse in Israeli detention — beatings, torture, racism and denial of medicine or food. After days in prison, 137 activists from around the world arrived in Istanbul on Oct 4, exposing yet another Israeli breach of international law.


IDF Soldiers Break Down Over Gaza Atrocities

Israeli soldiers are suffering from mental illnesses from the genocide in Gaza

Jewish Anti-Zionists Speak Out As 100s More Arrested At Palestine Action Protest

On Saturday 4th October 2025, hundreds of people gathered in Trafalgar Square to conduct an act of peaceful civil disobedience, in protest against the ongoing Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people. Hundreds of peaceful demonstrators were arrested and carried off by police. Their crime: writing 'I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action' on pieces of card. Their offence, according to the British Government: terrorism. Novara Media's Steven Methven reports from the scene.

Live to Gaza - Freedom Flotilla Coalition & Thousand Madleens