Israel halts strikes in Gaza following US ultimatum to Hamas

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has ordered a halt to offensive operations in the Gaza Strip and placed forces on heightened standby as the first phase of a U.S.-brokered plan to secure the release of hostages gets underway, the army press service said.

IDF Chief of General Staff Lieutenant‑General Eyal Zamir issued the order after overnight consultations with U.S. officials, saying the safety of soldiers is the top priority and that forces must be prepared to respond quickly to any threats.

The army stressed that all units will be deployed to protect troops during the operation, and that heightened vigilance is required because of the plan’s operational complexity.

According to reports, the pause follows an American proposal — described as a 20‑point ceasefire and postwar framework — which U.S. President Donald Trump urged Hamas to accept.

Trump set a public deadline for acceptance of the proposal: 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, October 5 (02:00 a.m. on October 6, GMT+4), warning that failure to agree would lead to intensified military action.

U.S. officials said the proposal has backing from a coalition of regional states and, per those reports, Israel has signed on to the framework.

Earlier accounts indicated that Hamas had agreed, at least in principle, to release hostages under the terms of the U.S. plan.

The White House and Israeli statements reiterated demands for the immediate release of all hostages, including the return of the bodies of those killed.

Trump also urged Palestinian civilians to relocate to safer areas in Gaza and framed the plan as a historic opportunity to end the violence.

The IDF’s announcement emphasised both the tentative nature of the pause and the possibility of rapid escalation if the conditions of the U.S. plan are not met. Military officials said they will maintain readiness to eliminate threats and to resume operations if required.

By Tamilla Hasanova