Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-20 at 23:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-20 at 23:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-20 at 23:07

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 HEADLINESSecond phase Gaza governance under international frameworkWest Bank toll tops 1,000Turkey mediates Gaza talks amid stabilization pushThe time is now 6:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.At 6:00 PM, the situation in the region continues to be defined by the Gaza ceasefire and the broader effort to stabilize the conflict’s aftermath, even as violence and political maneuvering persist on multiple fronts. Mediators from the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey reiterated their support for the first phase of the truce while pressing both sides to prepare for the second phase, which envisions a Palestinian technocratic administration in Gaza supervised by a broader international framework and a multinational stabilization presence. The statement described gains in humanitarian aid and hostage and body recovery, but noted that substantial differences remain over questions such as the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza and the future disarmament of Hamas. The participants stressed that progress will depend on concrete measures by both Israel and Hamas, and they underscored the need for civilian protection and ongoing humanitarian relief as the longer-term governance and security arrangements are worked out.In Gaza, the volatile three-way calculus of security, governance and aid continues to shape daily life. The first phase of the plan, agreed to in October, includes a limited Israeli pullback, a hostage-prisoner exchange and a surge in aid to civilians. While the mediators asserted that the first phase has yielded progress—greater humanitarian access and the return of some hostage bodies—there is still no formal agreement on the second phase or on a mechanism to disarm Hamas. Israel has repeatedly linked any further concessions to verifiable steps by Hamas, including the relinquishment of weapons and the establishment of a functioning civilian authority in Gaza.In the West Bank, violence has persisted at a high tempo since the Gaza war intensified following the October 7 events. The Israeli army reported two separate incidents in which Palestinians attacked troops, resulting in the deaths of the Palestin­ian suspects. One teenager, identified by Palestinian health officials as Rayan Abu Mualla, 16, was reported killed in Qabatiya, with Palestinian authorities releasing footage they say challenges some official accounts of the encounter. Minutes later, another Palestinian was killed in Silat al-Harithiya after an explosive device was allegedly launched at soldiers. The Israeli army said both incidents involved direct attacks and that its forces acted in self-defense. The Palestinian Authority and Gaza health authorities have tallied higher casualty numbers in the West Bank during this period, while the Israeli side has emphasized that the majority of those killed were militants, gunmen or assailants, rather than bystanders.Across the West Bank and Israel, the arithmetic of casualties and incidents remains stark. Palestinian health officials say more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the Hamas attack in October 2023, with the vast majority described by the Israeli army as militants or participants in clashes. In the same period, dozens of Israelis, including security personnel, have been killed in attacks in Israel and the West Bank. The surge in violence has been accompanied by a rise in settler-driven violence and nationalist crimes, with the Israeli military recording hundreds of such incidents since the start of the year. The numbers cited by officials on both sides reflect the enduring and deeply felt toll of the conflict, even as international efforts seek to reduce hostilities and stabilize conditions for civilians.Diplomacy surrounding the Gaza crisis has included notable regional and international engagement. Turkish intelligence officials were reported to have met with Hamas negotiators in Istanbul to discuss measures for advancing the second phase of the peace plan, including how to address ceasefire violations and progress toward a broader settlement. The talks took place amid Turkish caution about the risk of renewed fighting and a continuing interest in shaping the postwar landscape in Gaza, including questions about regional integration, governance and reconstruction. Washington has expressed support for Turkish involvement in Gaza, while noting that Ankara has not been included in every mechanism or decisionmaking forum related to the International Stabilization Force and other postwar arrangements.On the security front outside Gaza and the West Bank, new confrontations and cyber threats continue to loom. A cyber group claiming ties to Iran-linked actors asserted it had obtained names of engineers involved in Israel’s drone programs and offered bounties for information, highlighting how tech and security risks remain a component of the broader strategic friction in the ...
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