Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-09 at 15:06 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-09 at 15:06

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-09 at 15:06

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 HEADLINESNear Recovery of Hadar Goldin Amid TunnelsCeasefire Phase One Delivers Prisoners and RemainsIsrael Reopens Allenby Crossing for Gaza AidThe time is now 10:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.This is your hourly news update at 10:00 a.m. Jerusalem time.In Rafah, Israeli forces say they came within meters of recovering the remains of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin after an 18-month search through Hamas’s extensive tunnel network. The operation, focused on the Shaboura neighborhood, confronted an underground labyrinth described by officers as seven kilometers long and up to 25 meters deep, with multiple passages, rooms, and even potential command posts. Elite engineering units removed concrete panels and probed hidden alcoves, revealing dozens of rooms and spaces used for storage and operations, yet Goldin’s remains remained elusive. Hamas ultimately retrieved Goldin’s body on November 8 under the ceasefire framework, a development that ended a years-long effort to locate him. Israeli officials stress that the search was conducted while combat raged above and below ground, and while they deployed covert moves aimed at gathering intelligence. The operation underscored the challenge posed by a network Israel says snakes beneath civilian sites in Rafah and beyond. In the same context, Ran Gvili, another Israeli hostage, remains unreturned as officials acknowledge progress in some negotiations while elements of the hostage situation continue to defy resolution. The broader picture remains that the tunnel network, which Israel says is connected to a wider Hamas system, spans hundreds of kilometers under the Gaza Strip and has seen substantial damage but continues to shape Israeli risk assessment and operations.Turning to the ceasefire framework, the first phase has yielded the most tangible steps so far. Israel has released thousands of prisoners and recovered the remains of a number of dead Palestinians, while Hamas has began releasing hostages and returning bodies in a staged process. The balance of exchanges continues to be tightly linked to security conditions and to verified steps toward disarmament and a wider transition in Gaza. Official figures indicate the Gaza war has taken a heavy toll: more than 70,000 Palestinians killed, with hundreds of Palestinians killed since the ceasefire took effect. On the Israeli side, several dozen soldiers have been killed or wounded in the period since the truce began. Among the remaining hostages is the Israeli soldier Ran Gvili, whose fate continues to be a focal point for negotiators and families.In a related development, Israel has announced plans to reopen the Allenby Crossing with Jordan to permit the transfer of aid and goods into Gaza. Security upgrades on both sides have been completed, and the crossing is expected to operate with heightened screening and a dedicated security detail. The reopening is viewed as a concrete step to facilitate humanitarian relief as the first phase of the truce expands and as aid flows are expected to increase under the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The United Nations and other partners have repeatedly emphasized that broader humanitarian assistance remains essential to Gaza’s civilian population, even as security arrangements and border controls remain in flux.On the Syria front, there are new, disputed reports about a US-mediated security arrangement between Israel and Syria. Some sources described a written agreement prepared for signing during the United Nations General Assembly, but Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly declined to sign; Israeli officials have rejected the reports as fake news, stating that while contacts and meetings occurred under US mediation, no agreement or understanding was reached with Syria. The discussion reportedly involves a network of Israeli posts inside Syria and a broader aim of stabilizing the southern border, including potential steps in relation to a Sweida humanitarian corridor. Damascus has called for restraint and warned against escalation, while Israel has emphasized its stance that actions should be coordinated and aligned with security needs. As part of this broader dynamic, the United States continues to weigh sanctions and policy options tied to the Assad era as it seeks to align regional security objectives with Israel’s concerns.Hamas reiterated a condition tied to the ceasefire’s second phase: progress toward disarmament, withdrawal of Israeli forces, and a stabilizing international presence cannot proceed while Israeli operations, deemed violations, persist. Mediators in Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are urging adherence to the plan’s terms and urging both sides to maintain momentum to prevent renewed rounds of violence. The second phase envisions further Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza and a transition authority, along with weapon disarmament, but officials acknowledge that any push toward that phase...
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