Netanyahu hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza 'in the coming days'

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said 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 late Saturday, Netanyahu said he has sent a delegation to Egypt “to finalize technical details,” adding that “our goal is to contain these negotiations to a time frame of a few days.”

But Netanyahu signaled there would not be a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, something Hamas has long demanded. He said Israel's military will continue to hold territories it controls in Gaza, and that Hamas will be disarmed in the plan's second phase, diplomatically “or through a military path by us.”

The prime minister spoke after Hamas said it has accepted some elements of the U.S. plan. President Donald Trump welcomed the militant group's statement but on Saturday warned that “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off.”

Trump later said the ceasefire would begin immediately once Hamas confirms the “initial withdrawal line” in Gaza. A map with his social media post appeared to show much of Gaza still open to Israeli forces.

Trump has also ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza. Some in Gaza City reported a notable easing of Israeli strikes Saturday, though hospital officials said at least 22 people were killed, including women and children.

Israel's army said leaders instructed it to prepare for the U.S. plan's first phase. Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, said an official who was not authorized to speak to the media on the record.

Still, an Israeli strike on Gaza City's Tuffah neighborhood killed at least 17 and injured 25 others, said Al-Ahli hospital director Fadel Naim. “The strikes are still ongoing,” Naim said. Israel's military said it struck a Hamas member and “regrets any harm caused to uninvolved civilians.”

Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah earlier Saturday said Israeli strikes killed five Palestinians across Gaza City.

Trump appears determined to deliver on pledges to end the war and return all hostages ahead of Tuesday's second anniversary of the Hamas attack that sparked it on Oct. 7, 2023. His proposal has widespread international support. On Friday, Netanyahu's office said Israel was committed to ending the war.

Monday's indirect talks are meant to prepare the way for the release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinians from Israeli detention, mediator Egypt said.

A senior Egyptian official said U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt to head the U.S. negotiating team. The talks also will discuss maps showing the expected withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas in Gaza, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to brief the media.

The official also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians aimed at unifying their position toward Gaza's future. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Gaza's second most powerful militant group, said it accepted Hamas’ response after rejecting the plan days earlier.

Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages — around 20 of them believed to be alive — within three days. It would give up power and disarm.

In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of Gaza, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction.

Hamas said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. It didn't address the issue of Hamas demilitarizing.

Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli general and chairman of Israel’s Defense and Security Forum, said while Israel can afford to stop firing for a few days in Gaza so the hostages can be released, it will resume its offensive if Hamas doesn't lay down its arms.

Others said that Hamas' position fundamentally remains unchanged. Its rhetoric "simply repackages old demands in softer language," said Oded Ailam, a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.

Still, two vocal members of the right-wing bloc of Netanyahu’s coalition, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, criticized the plan’s progress but didn’t threaten to immediately leave the government.

And some speakers at the large weekly rally in Tel Aviv over the war expressed a cautious hope not heard for months.

A group representing some hostages' families said the prospect of seeing loved ones return “has never been closer.” They appealed to Trump to keep pushing “with full force” and warned that “extremists on both sides” will try to sabotage the plan.

Meanwhile, protests have erupted across Europe calling for the war's end.

Some Palestinians in Gaza worried that talks will break down again.

“We want practical implementation. We want a truce on the ground,” said Sameer Qudeeh in Khan Younis.

“I hope Hamas ends the war, because we are truly tired,” said Mohammad Shaat in Khan Younis, as anxious people roamed the shattered streets.

On Saturday, Israel's army warned Palestinians against trying to return to Gaza City, calling it a “dangerous combat zone." Two residents said that since the morning, Israeli tanks and troops had not advanced but artillery shells and airstrikes were heard.

“We can still see the quadcopters everywhere,” Mohamed al-Nashar said.

In southern Gaza, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said its Saraya field hospital received 10 bodies and over 70 injured after Israeli strikes on Saturday afternoon.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll in the war has topped 67,000. The toll jumped after the ministry said it added more than 700 names whose data had been verified.

The Health Ministry does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says women and children make up around half the dead. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed.

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

People attend a rally calling for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and urges a ceasefire, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. ahead of the second anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

People attend a rally calling for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and urges a ceasefire, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. ahead of the second anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

This picture taken during a media tour organised by the Israeli army shows a plume of smoke rising above Gaza City during an Israeli strike, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (Jack Guez/Pool Photo via AP)

A woman wearing a mask depicting U.S. president Donald Trump attends a rally calling for the release of all hostages held in the Gaza Strip and urges a ceasefire, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. ahead of the second anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Fire and smoke rises following an Israeli army shelling in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli army strike, outside Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners pray over the bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli army shelling, during their funeral outside Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

People look at photos of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Jerusalem, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Hebrew sign reads, "don't forget us". (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli military strike in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Displaced Palestinians flee northern Gaza carrying their belongings along the coastal road near Wadi Gaza, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli army strike, outside Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Displaced Palestinians flee northern Gaza carrying their belongings along the coastal road near Wadi Gaza, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli military strike in the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

The College Football Playoff rankings are here.

Follow live updates from The Associated Press on the playoff bracket, with analysis and Top 25 voter answers to fan questions, all in one place. Here is the latest, starting with the College Football Playoff bracket:

1. Indiana 2. Ohio State 3. Georgia 4. Texas Tech 5. Oregon 6. Ole Miss 7. Texas A&M 8. Oklahoma 9. Alabama 10. Miami 11. Tulane 12. James Madison

By MAURA CAREY

The CFP and AP Top 25 agree on eight of the top 12 teams: Indiana (1), Texas Tech (4), Oregon (5), Ole Miss (6), Texas A&M (7), Oklahoma (8), Miami (10) and BYU (12).

AP Top 25 voters ranked Georgia at No. 2 and Ohio State at No. 3, while the CFP committee did the opposite.

Alabama ranked No. 11 in the AP Top 25 and would have been the first team out of the playoff picture, which would have helped Notre Dame secure a spot at No. 9. The College Football Playoff committee kept Alabama at No. 9, leaving Notre Dame as the first team out of the playoff.

By DAVE ZELIO

Conference bragging rights in the College Football Playoff belong to the Southeastern Conference. It wasn’t even close, though the ultimate flex will be winning the national championship on Jan. 19.

The breakdown (by CFP rankings):

SEC (5 teams) No. 3. Georgia No. 6. Ole Miss No. 7. Texas A&M No. 8. Oklahoma No. 9. Alabama

Big Ten (3): No. 1. Indiana No. 2. Ohio State No. 5. Oregon

Big 12 (1): No. 4. Texas Tech

ACC (1): No. 10. Miami

American (1): No. 11. Tulane

Sun Belt (1): No. 12. James Madison

By MAURA CAREY

The first round of the College Football Playoff offers two rematches.

Oklahoma will face Alabama and Tulane will take on Ole Miss, each for the second time this season. Oklahoma and Ole Miss were victors in those earlier matchups.

If Ole Miss beats Tulane again, the quarterfinals would mark the second encounter between the Rebels and the Georgia Bulldogs this season. Georgia came out on top with a 43-35 win in October.

By SCOTT HAMILTON

It’s a great question.

The CFP’s format mandates the five highest-ranked conference champs. Indiana, Georgia and Texas Tech held up their ends of the bargain in the P4.

Duke won the ACC, but with five losses was ranked behind both James Madison and Tulane. Each is a G5 conference champ, though conference champs, nonetheless. Only one would’ve gotten in, however, had Virginia won.

The Cavaliers were 17th going into the weekend — ahead of then-No. 20 Tulane and then-No. 25 James Madison. You have to wonder if that stipulation re: conference champs is gonna be massaged or erased?

Scott Hamilton, a longtime sports columnist for The Charleston Post and Courier, has been an AP Top 25 voter for eight years. You can follow him on X: @scotthamiltonpc.

By MAURA CAREY

James Madison’s trip to the CFP accounts for several firsts. It marks the first time the Dukes made the College Football Playoff, and it will also be the first time James Madison and Oregon meet in football.

JMU and Oregon will face off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 20. The winner will meet Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on Jan 1.

By SCOTT HAMILTON

I hear ya.

It’s definitely going to paint the CFP into a corner with regards to a few things — including how to weigh simply making a conference title game. All losses aren’t created equal — that was evident when Notre Dame started off this season 0-2, yet remained ranked.

But that needs to be clearly defined and written out.

By MAURA CAREY

Tulane punched its playoff ticket with a 34-21 American Conference championship win against North Texas on Friday night.

The Green Wave earned the No. 11 seed in the College Football Playoff as a result and will face No. 6 Ole Miss at 3:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 20. The two last met in September, when Ole Miss cruised to a dominant 45-10 victory.

The outing will mark the Rebels’ first without head coach Lane Kiffin. The winner will meet No. 3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Three first-round games are set for Dec. 20, starting with Texas A&M vs. Miami at noon ET. The matchup marks the first time the two teams have met since 2023 and only the sixth meeting overall.

Miami won the last contest, beating Texas A&M 48-33. The Aggies and Hurricanes were the only two teams to knock off Notre Dame this year. Miami beat the Irish in Week 1 and the Aggies delivered an overtime victory one week later.

The winner will improve to the Cotton Bowl and meet No. 2 Ohio State on Dec. 31.

No. 8 Oklahoma will host No. 9 Alabama in Norman to kick off the College Football Playoff at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 19.

Oklahoma got the best of Alabama 23-21 in mid-November in Tuscaloosa. The Sooners had a strong defensive performance, notching 17 points off three turnovers, one of which was a 87-yard pick-six.

The rematch will be streamed on ESPN and ABC, and the winner will travel to face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

BYU was the second team out of the CFP rankings after Notre Dame following a 34-7 loss in the Big 12 championship game.

It marked the Cougars’ second loss to Texas Tech this season and solidified the Big 12 as a one-bid league. Texas Tech represents the conference at No. 4.

Duke’s ACC championship game appearance complicated the playoff picture and opened the door for another conference winner. Despite an impressive overtime win in the championship, the Blue Devils’ five losses this season prevented them from real CFP consideration.

American Conference champion Tulane and Sun Belt champion James Madison were the fourth and fifth highest-ranked conference winners and clinched the No. 11 and No. 12 seeds in the bracket as a result.

The Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame debate was settled, and the reigning runners-up Irish fell just short of the 12-team bracket.

Miami leapt over Notre Dame in the rankings despite both teams having the week off. The results are likely due to the Week 1 head-to-head win by Miami.

Alabama avoided being penalized for its 28-7 SEC championship game loss and earned the No. 9 seed in the bracket.

By ERIC OLSON

The Big 12 Conference announced Sunday it would fine Iowa State and Kansas State $500,000 each for opting out of post-season bowl games.

Both schools are going through coaching transitions, with Matt Campbell leaving Iowa State for Penn State and Chris Klieman announcing his retirement.

The conference said that while it acknowledges the difficult timing around coaching changes, the Big 12 is responsible for fulfilling its contractual obligations to its bowl partners.

Iowa State announced its players voted to not play in a bowl because the team doesn’t have healthy players to safely practice and play. ISU did not mention the coaching change from Campbell to Jimmy Rogers in its statement.

K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said he had conversations with players and Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark before deciding to decline a bowl bid.

By MAURA CAREY

Oregon (5), Ole Miss (6), Texas A&M (7) and Oklahoma (8) will each be playing at home after earning spots 5-8 in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Texas A&M will host No. 10 Miami. Oklahoma will welcome No. 9 Alabama for a rematch. Ole Miss takes American Conference-winner Tulane (11). Lastly, No. 12 James Madison, fresh off a Sun Belt championship win, will head to Eugene to take on No. 5 Oregon.

As expected, the Hoosiers earned the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye after beating Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday.

Despite the loss, the committee opted to rank Ohio State No. 2 ahead of SEC champion Georgia. The Bulldogs earned their second straight first-round bye and top four ranking in the CFP bracket, coming in at No. 3.

Texas Tech rounded out the top four after beating BYU on Saturday. All four teams get the luxury of having the first round off and will resume game action in the quarterfinals.

By ERIC OLSON

Alabama would be on the outside looking if the College Football Playoff selection committee’s final rankings echo the new AP Top 25 poll. So would BYU, Vanderbilt and Texas.

And for the first time, there would be two Group of Five schools in the playoff, with James Madison joining Tulane on the bracket.

Here’s how the CFP bracket would look if it were based on the AP poll:

— No. 9 seed Notre Dame at No. 8 seed Oklahoma. Winner vs. No. 1 Indiana.

— No. 12 seed James Madison at No. 5 Oregon. Winner vs. No. 4 Texas Tech.

— No. 10 seed Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M. Winner vs. No. 2 Georgia.

— No. 11 seed Tulane at No. 6 Mississippi. Winner vs. No. 3 Ohio State.

The Associated Press Top 25 is out, with Indiana taking the No. 1 spot for the first time in program history. Now what will the final College Football Playoff rankings look like? We’ll find out at noon Eastern.

The order of teams in the AP poll and CFP rankings have been similar since the playoff selection committee started putting out its top 25 in November.

Indiana, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas Tech are the top four teams in the new AP poll. They were also the top four in last week’s CFP rankings and it’s a good bet the bracket will award those teams top-four seeds and first-round byes. It’s possible the committee would put Ohio State second and Georgia third based on the narrow margin of victory in the Big Ten title game.

Mississippi, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Miami are teams 6 through 10 in the AP poll. AP voters moved Miami up two spots — ahead of Alabama and BYU. The Hurricanes will be hoping the committee follows suit, which would grant them an at-large bid.

AP Top 25 poll rankings

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

1. Indiana

2. Georgia

3. Ohio State

4. Texas Tech

5. Oregon

6. Ole Miss

7. Texas A&M

8. Oklahoma

9. Notre Dame

10. Miami (Fla.)

11. Alabama

12. BYU

13. Vanderbilt

14. Texas

15. Utah

16. USC

17. Tulane

18. Michigan

19. James Madison

20. Virginia

21. Arizona

22. Navy

23. North Texas

24. Georgia Tech

25. Missouri

By DAVE ZELIO

Indiana’s Tyrique Tucker and Drew Evans celebrate after the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Ohio State in Indianapolis, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

One team that doesn’t have to sweat much today about the College Football Playoff announcement: Indiana.

At 13-0, the Hoosiers are the last unbeaten team in major college football after beating Ohio State in a thriller for their first outright championship since 1945. By beating the Buckeyes, Indiana ended the nation’s longest active winning streak at 16 and the Big Ten’s longest winning streak in a series between two teams.

In between, the Hoosiers shed the label of FBS’ losing-est program, too.

Most expect Indiana to grab AP’s No. 1 ranking and get the No. 1 CFP seed later today.

Duke tight end Jeremiah Hasley (85) scores a touchdown against Virginia in overtime of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Duke’s overtime win against No. 16 Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game was something of a doomsday scenario for the league when it comes to the College Football Playoff.

The five-loss Blue Devils were unranked in the CFP, which raises the potential that the ACC could get shut out of the 12-team playoff later today. Sun Belt champion James Madison could secure the last automatic bid that goes to the five highest-ranked conference champions; three of those –- the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC -– are locks and American champ Tulane is considered the fourth.

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips says his league deserves two bids: one for No. 12 Miami as an at-large team and one for Saturday’s title-game winner.

Alabama, Notre Dame and Miami fans probably had something of a sleepless night ahead of the College Football Playoff bracket announcement.

Last week’s CFP rankings moved Alabama up a spot, raising the idea that the Crimson Tide have a cushion to make the bracket even if they lost to Georgia in the SEC championship game, which they did.

Notre Dame has won 10 straight games convincingly since starting 0-2, but had a lighter schedule than both Alabama and Miami, which handed the Fighting Irish one of those losses. Altogether those factors complicate the bottom of the playoff bracket.

It’s one of the biggest days on the calendar in college sports: The College Football Playoff will release its second 12-team bracket to kick off the postseason chase for the national championship.

We will kick things off soon with the final regular-season AP Top 25 football poll, so keep an eye for changes there that could foreshadow what you see in the CFP bracket.

There are eight teams that can feel pretty good about making the CFP, from Indiana to Ohio State and Georgia to Texas Tech and Ole Miss.

The final four slots are something else entirely. There is a lot of uncertainty on those and we will update you throughout the bracket release.

No organization has been ranking teams and naming a major college football national champion longer than The Associated Press, since 1936.

AP employees don’t vote themselves, but they do choose the voters. AP Top 25 voters comprise around 60 writers and broadcasters who cover college football for AP members and other select outlets. The goal is to have every state with a Football Bowl Subdivision school represented by at least one voter.

There is a 1-to-25 point system, with a team voted No. 1 receiving 25 points down to 1 point for a 25th-place vote. After that, it’s simple: The poll lists the teams with the most points from 1 to 25, and others receiving votes are also noted.

Voting is done online, and the tabulation is automated.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza celebrates after the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Ohio State in Indianapolis, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)