For today, links to eight reports: from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Reuters, NBC News, and the Cradle, and to an article of commentary from Middle East Eye: others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 10-4-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, YEMEN, UKRAINE and 9/11 TRUTH entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Negotiations begin to end the war in Gaza, even as Israel’s bombardment continues. Reported by Daniel Estrin and Ayesha Rascoe | NPR  As negotiators from Israel and Hamas meet to discuss details, hopes rise for a swift hostage release. Click HERE later to read and, still later, read.

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FROM OCT. 4  Netanyahu hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza ‘in the coming days,’ by Sam Mednick and Samy Magdy | AP  TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days,” as Israel and Hamas prepare for indirect talks in Egypt on Monday on a new U.S. plan to end the war. In a brief statement, he said . . . Click HERE for report in English, and HERE for it in Spanish.

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Gazans long for end to war, Rubio says not yet, by Jasper Ward, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Alexander Cornwell | Reuters  WASHINGTON / CAIRO / JERUSALEM  “We will know very quickly whether Hamas is serious or not by how these technical talks go in terms of the logistics,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today about the release of hostages from Gaza. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from NBC News.

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Sami Abu Shehadeh reflects on how Oct. 7 changed the lives of Palestinians forever. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Ayesha Rascoe | NPR  Rascoe speaks to former politician and activist Sami Abu Shehadeh about how the war in Gaza affected Palestinians as a people two years on. Click HERE later to read and, still later, read.

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FROM OCT.  4  As talks move forward, Trump’s Gaza plan sparks both hope and uncertainty. Reported by Carrie Kahn and Andrew Limbong | NPR  Israelis and Palestinians share cautious reactions to President Trump’s plan to end the war, as talks move forward and airstrikes continue. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Ben Gvir to blow up Netanyahu’s coalition if Hamas ‘continues to exist’ after Trump deal. From the Cradle. Israel’s influential, extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir threatened today that his Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) party would leave the coalition government if Hamas “continues to exist” after the release of Israeli captives under the Trump ceasefire plan. READ MORE . . .

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Statehood recognition is meaningless without ending Israel’s occupation, by Fareed Taamallah | Middle East Eye  Since several western governments announced their intent to recognise a Palestinian state, those of us living under Israeli occupation have been following the news with cautious interest. READ MORE . . .

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