Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-29 at 20:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-29 at 20:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-29 at 20:07

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 HEADLINESRemaining Gaza hostages Israel vows relentless recoveryEU veto blocks Gaza stabilization forceUN committee urges independent torture commissionThe time is now 3:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.Israel’s prime minister spoke with the family of Ran Gvili and with a Thai envoy to update them on search efforts for the final two Gaza hostages, saying Israel will press on until the last captive is returned, whether alive or deceased. The briefing underscored a continued focus on recovering hostages in Gaza as fighting and humanitarian concerns persist. In accompanying remarks, the PMO highlighted the family’s conduct as dignified and steadfast, and reaffirmed Israel’s overarching commitment to bring home every hostage and to account for those killed in captivity.In Washington and Brussels, debate continues over the terms of any ceasefire and the role of regional actors in stabilizing Gaza. European diplomats have stressed that Israel’s veto of a Palestinian Authority role in a proposed regional stabilization mechanism is hindering the deployment of an international force intended to maintain quiet and allow aid in Gaza. They also warned that delays could leave Hamas rearmament and other destabilizing activity unaddressed while the United States leads the coordination effort from abroad. At the same time, officials in Jerusalem emphasize security concerns and the imperative of ensuring any stabilization framework does not undermine Israel’s security needs or its ability to prevent attacks from Gaza.Among allied capitals, Ireland’s government drew international attention by rejecting a Dublin City Council bid to rename Herzog Park as “Free Palestine Park.” Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said erasing the name of a historically significant Irish Jewish leader would be wrong and that the decision did not address the broader criticisms of Israeli policy in Gaza. The exchange illustrated how observers in Europe are weighing historical memory and contemporary policy as the conflict continues to unfold.In other diplomacy and security developments, a United Nations committee on torture urged Israel to establish an independent commission to examine allegations of torture and ill-treatment of Palestinians in custody, saying conditions have intensified since Oct. 7, 2023. Israel has consistently rejected claims of torture and stressed that its prison system operates under law and supervision. The committee’s report highlighted concerns about indefinite detention and reported deaths among Palestinian detainees, including a number of prisoners who officials said have died under custody, while rights groups note the deteriorating condition of prisoners and call for humanitarian access to Gaza.On the ground in the region, Israeli forces continued operations in the West Bank and in Jenin, where authorities reported the discovery and destruction of an explosives lab and multiple weapons stockpiles during a military operation. The operation, part of an ongoing effort to disrupt militant networks, also produced seizures of ammunition and several explosive devices, with several suspects detained on security grounds. In parallel, reports from Israel’s information security and intelligence community describe ongoing cross-border activity intended to prevent attacks and to disrupt networks tied to Hamas, Islamic State-inspired groups, and Iranian proxies.Across the region, Israel’s involvement in Syria remains a focal point of strategy and danger. A year into the effort to manage a buffer zone on and east of the Golan Heights, Israeli forces have conducted intelligence-led raids against targets in villages within and beyond the buffer zone, aiming to thwart hostile activity and to shape broader developments inside Syria. The Beit Jann incident, in which six Israeli soldiers were wounded in engagement with armed groups, underscored the volatility of the area and the complexity of the Syrian civil war’s spillover effects. Defense officials say the operation serves strategic purposes beyond counterterrorism, including limiting spillover into Israeli territory and influencing the regional balance of power as other actors press for influence in Syria.In related regional assessments, a report circulating in security circles notes that a broader battle over influence in Syria is unfolding among Turkey, Qatar, and Russia, with Damascus attempting to consolidate power amid a landscape of armed groups and shifting loyalties. Observers caution that Syria’s transformation is fluid, with the government relying on a mix of armed groups and external actors to project influence, while Israel seeks to prevent militant networks from gaining a foothold near its north.Turning to broader regional security questions, reports emerged of ballistic missile activity attributed to Iran targeting the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Iranian officials denied involvement, ...
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