The Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday’s events as they happen.
Israeli official says hostage-ceasefire deal could be reached ‘within the coming hours’
An Israeli official tells Hebrew media outlets that a hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza could be reached by tonight, as United States President Donald Trump appears to be preparing to make an announcement on the agreement.
In Israel, “assessments are mounting that the details of the deal could be finalized within the coming hours,” the official is quoted as saying.
The reports come shortly after Trump was handed a note by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the president should approve a Truth Social post announcing the deal.
Rubio hands Trump note saying he needs to okay social media post so he can then declare Gaza deal
US President Donald Trump appears to cut a White House event on Antifa short after receiving a note from Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding ongoing efforts to secure an end to the war in Gaza.
“I was just given a note by the secretary saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they’re going to need me pretty quickly,” Trump tells reporters.
“I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East,” he subsequently adds.
The note from Rubio says, “Very close. You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.”
Earlier during the Q & A, Trump was asked about his potential trip to the region this weekend and whether it might include a visit to Gaza.
“I may do that,” Trump said, adding that it hasn’t been decided
Trump said he will most likely be going to Egypt but added that he would be “making the rounds.”
NEW: President Trump tells reporters he will "most likely" be going to Egypt for Gaza peace talks.
Follow live updates: https://t.co/0uTnvqC5Xk pic.twitter.com/tz2dOsi0dw
— ABC News (@ABC) October 8, 2025
Second Houthi drone shot down over Israel-Egypt border, IDF says
A second drone launched by the Houthis in Yemen was shot down by the Israeli Air Force over the Israeli-Egyptian border a short while ago, according to the IDF.
The IDF says alerts were activated in open areas, and not in any towns, “according to protocol.”
Contrary to earlier reports, sources say Rubio won’t attend meeting in France on post-war Gaza
Contrary to earlier reports, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not be attending a meeting of foreign ministers organized by France in Paris tomorrow on Gaza’s post-war transition, Channel 12 reports, citing three sources with knowledge.
Over the past day, Israel requested from US President Donald Trump’s administration that Washington not take part in the meeting, fearing it could divert progress on Trump’s plan for ending the war and undermine the ongoing negotiations in Egypt between Israel and Hamas, an Israeli official tells the Hebrew network.
Rubio, a staunch supporter of Israel, was slated to attend the summit, which Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called “unnecessary and harmful” earlier this evening.
“We see this as another attempt by [French] President [Emmanuel] Macron to divert attention from his internal problems at the expense of Israel,” Sa’ar had written on X.
Macron has for months faced sharp Israeli criticism for spearheading a joint French–Saudi initiative urging Western nations to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state and advance a long-term framework for a two-state solution.