While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Oct 4, 2025
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A youth running for cover amid an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on Oct 3.
PHOTO: EPA
Hamas agrees to release Israeli hostages, sets conditions
Hamas has agreed to release the last of the hostages from its 2023 attack on Israel, but said the rest of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan would be subject to negotiation.
The statement was a positive step that still raised questions about whether the promise would be sufficient to end a conflict that began with Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023.
Hamas did not address other key elements of Mr Trump’s proposal that Israel has also demanded, including that the group disarm.
Mr Trump responded favourably. “I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE,” he said in a social media post. “Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!”
Israeli military intercepts final flotilla aid boat
The Israeli military intercepted the last boat in an aid flotilla attempting to reach blockaded Gaza on Oct 3, a day after stopping most of the vessels and detaining some 450 activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.
The organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said the Marinette was intercepted some 42.5 nautical miles (79km) from Gaza.
Israeli army radio said the navy had taken control of the last ship in the flotilla, detained those aboard and that the vessel was being led to Ashdod port in Israel.
Denmark reports naval provocations by Russia
Russian warships have repeatedly sailed on collision courses, aimed weapons at Danish naval vessels, and disrupted navigation systems in Denmark’s straits that connect the Baltic Sea to the North Sea, its defence intelligence service said on Oct 3.
Such incidents risk unintended escalation, it said.
The Baltic region remains on high alert after incidents involving undersea cables, gas pipeline outages, airspace violations and drone sightings since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which increased tensions between Moscow and the West.
US kills 4 in new attack on alleged drug-smuggling boat
US forces carried out a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat off the coast of Venezuela on Oct 3, killing four people, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
Mr Hegseth announced the latest strike – which brings the number of such attacks to at least four, leaving at least 21 people dead – in a post on X.
An accompanying video showed a boat speeding across the waves before being engulfed in smoke and flames, then continuing to burn while still floating.
Three killed in Bulgaria floods
Three people were killed in floods caused by torrential rain in Bulgaria’s Black Sea resort Elenite, Bulgaria’s news agency BTA reported on Oct 3.
Interior Minister Daniel Mitov said one man who was in a building basement was killed when the water swept through, while the other two were rescuers who had responded to calls for help.
More than 10 fire trucks have been deployed in the wider Black Sea region, including Elenite, to help people in flooded areas, Bulgaria’s NOVA TV reported quoting a regional official.
