Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on October 8th, 2025, to join ongoing negotiations regarding the release of hostages and an end to the war in Gaza. This development follows President Trump's meeting with his national security team to discuss the Gaza deal prior to the envoys' departure. Meanwhile, Hamas appears to be losing control over smaller militias in Gaza, potentially making the region more unpredictable concerning President Trump's proposals, according to recent reports. The Foreign Ministry announced that the Turkish flotilla to Gaza was taken over by the Navy, with vessels and passengers transferred to an Israeli port. Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya, in his first media appearance since an assassination attempt in Doha, was recorded in Sharm El Sheikh and stated that the delegation appreciates efforts by Islamic and Arab countries and President Trump to permanently stop the war. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad's armed wing, Al-Quds Brigades, reaffirmed their commitment to using weapons for liberating land and eliminating the enemy. Reports indicate that Hamas's unification efforts, such as the "Palestinian Joint Operations Room" created by Yahya Sinwar in 2018, are weakening due to the absence of Sinwar and much of Hamas's military leadership. This fragmentation means smaller factions are acting more independently, sometimes disregarding Hamas directives. Separately, the White House posted "Never Forget.🎗️🇺🇸" on X. A Palestinian individual, identified via an X post by user afalkhatib, described an October 7th attack as "one of the most shameful days in the history of the Palestinian people" and "the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust."
