On October 6, 2025, the world will once again look towards the Middle East. Israel and Hamas are returning to the negotiating table β this time with the participation of the USA and a new agenda, where the stakes are not only on the release of hostages but also on an attempt to change the course of the entire war.
The main topic of the negotiations is the release of Israeli hostages and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu previously emphasized: Israel is ready to start the exchange immediately after the agreement is concluded, and the disarmament of Hamas will be the “second stage of peace.”
It is this point that causes the greatest tension. Hamas fears losing control, Israel β security. But in diplomacy, as in war, a pause is sometimes louder than artillery.
Trump’s Call and Nerve Game
According to Axios, over the weekend Donald Trump personally called Netanyahu to congratulate him on the “Hamas proposal.” But the Prime Minister responded coldly β considering the initiative “meaningless.”
Trump’s reaction was immediate:
“It’s a victory. Accept it.”
On October 3, Trump publicly stated that Hamas must approve his peace plan by the end of the week, or “serious consequences” would follow.
On the same day, the group confirmed its readiness to release the hostages but rejected key conditions β the creation of a “Peace Council” and complete disarmament.
Thus began a new diplomatic chess game, where every move is a signal to the world and a test for allies.
Israel Changes Strategy
On October 4, it became known that Israeli troops received orders to cease offensive operations in Gaza and move to a defensive phase.
Officially β this is a step to “create conditions for negotiations.” In fact β a pause, after which either a breakthrough or a new escalation may follow.
Already on October 5, Trump announced on his platform Truth Social that Israel agreed to the proposed US initial line of troop withdrawal.
If Hamas confirms readiness, the hostage exchange process could begin within the next day.
Diplomats call this scenario “cautious optimism.” But against the backdrop of war fatigue, even caution sounds like hope.
Between Politics and Symbolism
October 6 is a date where the interests of three parties converge: Israel, Hamas, and the USA.
For Netanyahu, it’s a chance to strengthen his internal position.
For Trump, it’s to prove that his “peace plan” can change reality.
For Hamas, it’s an opportunity to survive without losing face.
But the main thing is not the signatures or the cameras.
The main thing is the moment when someone, for the first time in a long time, stops shooting.
