Role of International Forces and US Troop Presence

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider and military correspondent Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

What may have been the final Saturday night protest calling for the release of the hostages took place last night in Tel Aviv. In an unprecedented appearance, on stage at Hostages Square were US envoy Steve Witkoff, the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and his wife, the president’s daughter Ivanka Trump.

Schneider describes the scene at the square and gives highlights from Kushner's speech.

Has Israel fully signed on to end the war? Overnight Thursday-Friday, the cabinet voted on and ratified the implementation of phase one of the Trump plan to end the war and bring peace to Gaza. But only phase one. Schneider, who spent several days digging into the issue, explains.

The Israel Defense Forces completed a withdrawal to agreed-upon deployment lines in the Gaza Strip on Friday at noon, officially beginning a ceasefire and a 72-hour countdown during which Hamas is to release the 48 hostages it is holding under the first phase of the US-brokered deal. Fabian delves into where the troops are now and what to expect from the hostages' release.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation will reportedly keep its aid distribution sites in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip shuttered over the coming days, during the release of the hostages held by Hamas. Fabian explains what we know about the continued efforts of the GHF now that the IDF has left areas where it was operating.

And finally, Fabian describes an early Saturday morning strike that bombed hundreds of heavy engineering vehicles the IDF said were being used by Hezbollah to rebuild its infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Could this sort of strike be a model for how the IDF will operate in the Gaza Strip during the ceasefire?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Trump to visit Israel on Monday for 4 hours, address Knesset, meet PM and hostage families

‘Miracles can happen, the hostages are coming home,’ Witkoff tells packed Hostages Square

At Hostages Square, Trump’s envoys gave Netanyahu a lesson in leadership

Release of hostages set to begin Monday morning, Hamas and Israel say

Witkoff visits Gaza base as ceasefire holds and displaced Palestinians return home

The living hostages expected to be released from Gaza under the ceasefire deal

IDF says strikes in Lebanon destroyed hundreds of Hezbollah construction vehicles

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IMAGE: A man wearing a mask resembling US President Donald Trump holds a sign designed like a Nobel Peace Prize medal during a rally in support of hostages held by Hamas, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

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