Morning reports revealed expectations of 3,000 Palestinian prisoners to be released in the first phase of a pending exchange deal. Seven Israeli soldiers died in a Beit Hanoun ambush, while 28 Palestinians were killed in residential areas. By noon, reports emerged of European parliaments investigating dual-citizenship holders in Israel, while cart transportation became the primary means of movement within Gaza.
Afternoon brought Biden-Netanyahu phone discussions about prisoner negotiations, as Israeli generals recommended establishing a buffer zone in Beit Hanoun to prevent resident return. Qatar-mediated talks concluded with "bridgeable gaps," while Palestinian Authority announced partial recovery of frozen tax funds. Evening headlines focused on Netanyahu's consultations with far-right coalition partners Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, suggesting potential government instability over the deal terms.