Israeli artillery shelling was reported in the vicinity of Al-Sinaa Street, southwest of the Al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City, as confirmed by Al Jazeera's correspondent this morning between 5:35 AM and 6:05 AM UTC. This occurs amidst ongoing developments related to hostage release negotiations, including a phone call between President Trump and captive survivors and kidnapped families in Washington, which was described as "exciting" by the families. During this reporting window, there was also a claim circulating that the release of "kidnappers" would be promoted, either in a sitting or first capacity, according to a report attributed to Amit Segal. These events unfold as a potential deal for hostage and prisoner exchanges between Israel and Hamas has been nearing finalization, with previous reports indicating an expected signing imminently. President Trump had previously confirmed that all Israeli hostages were expected to be released by Monday, October 13th, 2025. Previous reports from October 9th, 2025, detailed that the Israeli Security Cabinet and government were scheduled to convene to approve the release of Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal with Hamas. Mediators had announced the finalization of terms for the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement, guaranteed by the U.S., Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. Under these terms, IDF troops were expected to withdraw to a designated line within Gaza within 24 hours of the agreement's signing, with Hamas not holding ceremonies for the hostage release and the Rafah Crossing opening for aid delivery. Further context from previous reports includes Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Amihai Eliyahu storming the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron on October 9th, 2025, during the Feast of Tabernacles. Families of hostages had also invited President Trump to an event expressing gratitude for the return of their loved ones. President Trump was reportedly scheduled to visit Israel on Sunday, October 12th, 2025.
