Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-29 at 21:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-29 at 21:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-29 at 21:07

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 HEADLINESGaza ceasefire stalls as multinational force uncertainUS pauses Afghan visas imperils evacueesUN urges independent inquiry into Palestinian tortureThe time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.This hour’s update looks at a widening mosaic of tension, negotiation, and disruption across the Middle East and beyond, as Gaza-related diplomacy presses against hard security realities and political disagreements ripple through capitals from Dublin to Washington.In the Gaza arena, negotiators and military planners are working at a multinational nerve center in southern Israel as efforts to implement a broader ceasefire and stabilization plan stall. Official briefings describe a three-floor site in Kiryat Gat where teams from Israel, the United States, and about two dozen partner countries coordinate security, humanitarian relief, governance, and reconstruction planning for Gaza’s future. While cooperation at the working level is noted as positive and professional, the timetable for forming a multinational force remains uncertain, and the path to Phase B of any plan looks distant. On the ground inside areas controlled by Israel, rebuilding for humanitarian zones and public facilities continues as part of a pilot program intended to demonstrate how broader reconstruction might unfold after conflict, though practical entry of supplies remains vulnerable to diversion and security concerns. At the same time, Cairo, Washington, and allied capitals are pressing Hamas to deliver a credible commitment to surrender weapons and allow greater movement through passages such as Rafah, a prerequisite in many formulations for any broader peace framework.Across Europe and beyond, diplomats and officials are weighing a critical constraint on Gaza stabilization: Israel’s veto of a Palestinian Authority role. With the Gaza deal standing at an impasse, European insiders say that veto blocks the entry of a broader international stabilization presence and potentially allows Hamas to rearm while questions linger about the US-led headquarters’ effectiveness in Kiryat Gat. The dynamic underscores how gaps between security priorities and political consent can stall steps toward a durable ceasefire, even as humanitarian relief and reconstruction remains urgently needed for civilians.On the diplomatic front in Washington, policy developments carry their own weight. The administration has moved to pause processing visas for Afghan nationals across its diplomatic posts, effectively suspending Special Immigrant Visa pathways and other Afghan visa programs. Officials argue this step is intended to verify identity and eligibility, but human-rights groups and Afghan evacuee advocates warn that the move could complicate and slow an already difficult resettlement process for those who aided American efforts over two decades. The shift arrives amid a broader emphasis on immigration enforcement, a thread that has intensified since the prior attack era and continues to color US policy toward international partners and prospective allies.In regional security, questions persist about external actors’ involvement and leverage. Reports about Turkish involvement in prior phases of Gaza diplomacy have faded for now after Ankara’s stance on a proposed multinational force hardened, while Israel is said to have shared intelligence with Washington regarding Hamas and Hezbollah activity linked to Turkish-based networks. In parallel, Azerbaijan has joined others in signaling reluctance to deploy troops, reflecting a spectrum of national risk calculations about peacekeeping roles in Gaza’s volatile environment. European and Middle East observers caution that a lack of a visible, credible international security commitment could leave Hamas with room to maneuver and Gaza’s reconstruction withering on the vine if not matched by tangible measures.From a legal and rights perspective, a United Nations committee has urged Israel to establish an independent inquiry into alleged torture of Palestinian prisoners, signaling concern about conditions in the occupied territories and during the current armed conflict. Israel has disputed the accusations, labeling them as disinformation, while lawmakers and human rights groups underscore the urgency of independent scrutiny and accountability. The report highlights a broader debate about how to balance military exigencies with humanitarian obligations, and how such debates influence international support for aid programs and political pressure on both sides.Separately, a string of security incidents and intelligence assessments highlights ongoing frictions in the region. Israeli forces have reported uncovering a laboratory producing explosives during a Jenin operation, along with the seizure of weapons and ammunition, underscoring the persistent risk of militant activity around the West Bank. In the broader conflict frame, state actors continue ...
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