Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-08 at 14:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-08 at 14:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-08 at 14:07

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 HEADLINESMother of Ran Gvili calls peace pauseIsrael reshuffles defense leadership amid Gaza debateIsrael begins security barrier on Jordan borderThe time is now 9:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.Good morning. This is your hour-by-hour briefing on developments across the Middle East, with attention to Israeli and Jewish perspectives for an international audience.The mother of the last Gaza hostage has urged Israel to pause plans for the next phase of the peace process until Ran Gvili is returned. Talik Gvili told Reuters that Israel will not heal until he is back in the country, and she stressed that any forward movement on ceasefire or governance discussions should wait for his fate to be clarified. Ran Gvili was one of 251 captives seized by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Israeli authorities say they believe he is dead, but his family continues to hold onto a sliver of hope.On the security and political front, Defense Minister Israel Katz is moving ahead with a broad round of appointments in the armed forces, confirming most of the leadership changes but withholding one appointment after a call for refusal of military service. The defense establishment says remaining questions should be resolved in the coming days, though earlier statements had pointed to no rapid resolution before the end of December. The changes come as Israel weighs the next steps in Gaza and broader security arrangements, including discussions about a multinational force and how best to deter Hamas from rebuilding its military capabilities.In a notable cross-border medical effort, a liver transplant was conducted after a donation flight from Cyprus. The procedure, coordinated by Israel’s National Transplant Center, enabled the rapid retrieval and transplant in Rabin Medical Center for 32-year-old Linoy Amsalem. The case highlighted the kind of international coordination that sometimes accompanies urgent medical needs in times of conflict.In domestic policy, the Knesset advanced a bill to reimpose the death penalty for terrorists, with Otzma Yehudit lawmakers wearing gold noose pins to symbolize the measure. Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior officials have framed the move as part of a broader effort to deter terrorism, though opponents warn of legal and moral complexities surrounding capital punishment in such cases. Defense officials and legal authorities have stressed the need for rigorous procedures should any sentence be enacted.The region remains volatile. In Sudan, more than 100 people, including children, were killed in an attack on a kindergarten and a hospital, in what has been described as a deadly strike using drones. Sudan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, and the violence underscores the wider instability along Africa’s Sahel to Horn of Africa corridors that can have ripple effects for neighboring states and regional security dynamics.Archaeological news from Jerusalem reveals a 2,100-year-old Hasmonean-era wall unearthed near the Tower of David complex. Researchers say the wall was deliberately buried within the foundations of Herod’s palace, raising questions about the intent behind its destruction and what it reveals about power dynamics in ancient Jerusalem. The discovery adds a historical backdrop to ongoing debates about sovereignty, identity, and memory in the city.In security and intelligence developments, police in Israel reported an arrest related to threats against a senior military official. A right-wing activist was detained after posting messages that targeted Major General Ghassan Alian, head of the Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. Prosecutors and police described the communication as criminal threats, and Defense Minister Katz condemned the incitement as a red line that cannot be crossed.Meanwhile, in diplomacy and regional security, Prime Minister Netanyahu met with the United States’ ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, in Jerusalem. The discussions touched on Gaza, regional stability, and ongoing US efforts to bolster international support for a framework that could lead to phase two of a Gaza truce, including discussions about a potential multinational force and the prospects for disarming Hamas. In New York, talks involving Israel, Qatar, and US envoys continued to repair frayed ties stemming from the September strike in Qatar and to prepare for possible high-level meetings between Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.In Washington’s orbit, President Trump marked the eighth anniversary of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reiterating that the move represents Israel’s rightful capital, rooted in history and identity. Trump framed the decision as a turning point in US-Israel relations and a step toward peace, noting the US embassy’s location as part of that historical commitment. The comments arrived as the US administration continues ...
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