Morning Brief: Gaza Ceasefire in Effect, North Korea Shows Off New Hypersonic Weapon, India Deepens Ties With Taliban

Ceasefire Holds in Gaza as 72-Hour Hostage Clock Ticks

The guns have gone quiet in Gaza, at least for now. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect at midday Friday local time, the opening move in a deal that ties military de-escalation to the release of remaining Israeli hostages. Israeli forces have pulled back to agreed lines and paused most offensive operations. Tens of thousands of Palestinians used the lull to move north toward shattered neighborhoods.

The core of the deal is simple and ruthless. Hamas has seventy-two hours to release all remaining hostages. Israeli assessments cited by international outlets say forty-eight captives are still in Gaza, about twenty believed alive. The Red Cross is helping coordinate transfers under the timeline.

On the Israeli side, the exchange includes a large prisoner release measured in the thousands, along with expanded humanitarian access. Reporting from multiple outlets puts the figure near two thousand Palestinian prisoners as aid agencies stage convoys for an immediate surge once crossings open. The United Nations is preparing to scale operations as trucks queue nearby.

The battlefield map is in flux. Israel says it has repositioned to new deployment lines inside Gaza and will answer direct threats, but is so far honoring the ceasefire framework. Earlier briefings and live updates described withdrawals from selected corridors while maintaining security control in key areas, with further steps tied to compliance. Political leadership in Jerusalem is keeping options open if Hamas misses the clock.

Washington, Doha, Cairo, and Ankara are all in the frame. Qatar confirmed that the first phase has been agreed upon and will lead to hostages and prisoners coming home alongside humanitarian aid. President Trump publicly celebrated the breakthrough and has said he may travel to the region as the next stages unfold.

None of this settles the long game. Israel’s leadership is already framing the pause as a tactical intermission with disarmament of Hamas as the declared end state, and analysts warn that failure on the hostage timetable could snap the front back to active combat.

For now, the streets are a study in contrasts. Families of hostages count down the hours. Displaced Palestinians test the fragile quiet and sift through ruins. The next decisive moment arrives at noon, Monday local time. If the releases happen on schedule, the deal moves forward. If not, the shooting likely returns.