HEADLINES
Plan to demilitarize Gaza and free hostages
Israel approves 30.8B shekel defense budget
Qatar mediates as UAE warns on annexation

The time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

Tonight’s update from the newsroom: after days of intense diplomacy, the United States and Israel are advancing a plan to end the Gaza war that envisions a staged, international effort to demilitarize the Strip, a short window for hostage returns, and a path toward civilian governance in Gaza under international oversight. The Trump administration’s comprehensive framework, unveiled in Washington alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, centers on a 20-point package designed to halt hostilities, return all hostages within 72 hours of public acceptance, and then begin a process that would dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities and establish a transitional governing authority for Gaza.

Key elements of the plan include a long ceasefire conditioned on the complete disarmament of Hamas and related groups, the withdrawal of Israeli forces in coordination with security milestones, and the creation of an international “Board of Peace” to oversee reconstruction and governance in Gaza. The plan also calls for immediate, substantial humanitarian aid, rapid reconstruction of critical infrastructure, and the deployment of an international stabilization force to support newly established civilian authorities. Under the framework, a transition period would see Gaza governed by a technocratic Palestinian committee, with implementation phases agreed by Israel, the Palestinian authorities, and the guarantor states, all aimed at preventing a return to the violence that has dominated the past years.

Israel’s prime minister has voiced support for the plan, arguing it would achieve the war’s objectives: the return of all hostages, the dismantling of Hamas’s military capabilities, and a pathway to long-term security for Israel. Yet Hamas has not given a definitive answer, and officials in Jerusalem and elsewhere note that movements within Hamas and its external leadership will determine the next steps. Qatar has signaled willingness to help persuade Hamas to disarm and to accept the hostage framework, even as it seeks assurances on sovereignty and mediation roles. In Washington, officials stressed that the plan’s success hinges on Hamas’s cooperation and on steady, verifiable progress on security and governance arrangements.

Domestically, Israel’s parliament approved an additional defense budget of about 30.8 billion shekels to cover war-related costs and bolster security needs. The measure passed by a narrow margin amid debates over fiscal priorities and the strain of ongoing conflict, with coalition and opposition members weighing the balance between emergency spending and broader budget plans. Finance and security leaders defended the increase as essential to maintaining readiness and civilian protection during wartime, while some ultra-Orthodox factions voiced concerns about the allocation of funds within the broader budget.

On the international stage, the plan has drawn a mix of endorsements and questions. The United Arab Emirates has urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to back the framework while warning against steps that would complicate regional normalization, such as moves toward annexation in the West Bank. In a related development, Netanyahu offered a formal apology to the Qatari prime minister for a strike in Doha that had targeted Hamas leadership, emphasizing that Israel’s aim was to combat terrorism rather than violate sovereignty. The White House confirmed the phone call and the shared commitment to the plan, with Qatar reaffirming its willingness to participate in mediating the path forward.

Beyond Gaza, there is broad attention to how this framework intersects with wider regional tensions and...