Senior White House officials Steve Whitakoff and Jared Kushner departed today, October 4th, 2025, for Egypt to participate in negotiations aimed at finalizing a hostage release agreement and achieving lasting peace, according to a White House senior statement. This development follows the Israeli military's shift to defensive operations in Gaza on Saturday morning after President Trump called for a halt to strikes. The Israeli military transitioned to defensive operations in Gaza on Saturday morning, a move that aligns with President Trump's directive to halt strikes in the enclave, as reported by Axios. Simultaneously, senior White House officials Whitakoff and Kushner are en route to Egypt to engage in critical negotiations concerning the release of hostages and the cessation of hostilities. In a separate development, Hamas deployed its elite Nukhba forces in Khan Younis on Saturday morning with the intent to defeat the Al-Majayda family/clan and record propaganda footage prior to a ceasefire announcement, according to multiple Gaza sources. However, their plan was reportedly thwarted by the clan's resistance and an Israeli military drone strike, resulting in significant embarrassment for the terror group. These Nukhba members were reportedly equipped with reconnaissance footage, target photos of children, and instructions, similar to materials found on October 7th, and planned to commandeer ambulances for the operation. Multiple Gaza sources further confirmed that the Hamas Nukhba force emerged from a hideout at Al Nasser Hospital, highlighting the alleged weaponization of medical facilities by Hamas for terror operations. This alleged tactic is cited as a reason for Israeli airstrikes that cause civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. Earlier today, the Foreign Office confirmed that 137 more participants from the Hamas-Somodic flotilla were deported to Turkey, having refused Israel's proposals for peaceful assistance delivery. These individuals, from various countries including the United States and the United Kingdom, were described as acting in "Hamas service."
