Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-28 at 04:05 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-28 at 04:05

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-28 at 04:05

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 HEADLINESHamas poised to elect new leader soonIsrael braces for heavy rain high windsHochul blocks demolition of Kingsbrook SynagogueThe time is now 11:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.Hamas appears poised to elect a new leader within days to a few weeks, according to sources cited by the Saudi outlet Asharq who say the process is underway but a general election is not expected while the war in Gaza continues. The two leading contenders are Khaled Mashaal, the movement’s former head, and Khalil al-Hayya, the current Gaza politburo chief. The main policy divergence noted by Asharq centers on the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Hayya, viewed as close to Iran, is said to back continuing armed conflict with Israel in the Gaza Strip until the war ends and the Israeli army withdraws. Mashaal, seen as closer to Qatar, is described as favoring negotiated compromises to end the occupation. Mashaal is also reported to favor moving Hamas away from Iran and toward closer ties with moderate Arab states. Observers close to Hamas say Hayya enjoys broad support within both Gaza and the West Bank, including support from West Bank politburo chief Zaher Jabarin. The electing body is described as Hamas’s general Shura council, about fifty members representing Gaza, the West Bank, and the diaspora. Elections for a new leader have taken place every four years in the past, with the last held in March two thousand twenty-one; the current one was postponed due to the war in Gaza. The leadership since the deaths of Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar in two thousand twenty-four has been handled by a provisional council headed by the Shura council chief, with senior figures including Hayya, Mashaal, Jabarin, and Gaza politburo member Nizar Awadallah, according to the report. Observers say the move to hold elections now reflects both a ceasefire lull and internal disagreements within the provisional leadership about the movement’s future in Gaza and its regional alignments. The report notes that, in the past, Hamas has signaled that any international force in Gaza would be limited to a buffering role between Israel and Gaza rather than a governing presence, in line with statements by Hamas leaders who have framed any external force as a temporary arrangement. The report cites no binding timetable for elections beyond saying the process would proceed in the near term.On the Israeli front, authorities have issued warnings of potential flooding for Monday as a heavy rain event approaches, with a forecast of sixty to eighty millimeters of rain in central areas over the coming hours and winds that could reach one hundred kilometers per hour. After a stormy weekend that brought heavy showers to northern regions, the weather pattern is expected to ease somewhat on Sunday but intensify again the following day in central Israel, including the Sharon and Shfela corridors, Jerusalem, and parts of the West Bank. Flood watches have been issued for major streams such as the Alexander, Yarkon, Ayalon, Sorek, and Lachish. While precipitation is expected to decrease by Tuesday, intermittent showers could continue in northern areas. Authorities are urging caution for travelers, with potential disruptions to road and rail networks anticipated as communities brace for possible flooding and strong gusts.In New York, city and state officials intervened to preserve a historic synagogue on the Kingsbrook campus in Brooklyn. Governor Kathy Hochul directed action to prevent the demolition of Kingsbrook Synagogue, a century-old institution that sits on property owned by the hospital complex One Brooklyn Health. The dispute arose as the health system planned development at the site, which would have altered access to the synagogue. Community leaders praised the governor’s move as a protection of religious life and neighborhood history, noting the synagogue’s longstanding ties to Jewish life in Flatbush and Crown Heights. The case underscores the ongoing local tensions between development and preservation within the city’s Jewish communities and the role state authorities can play in resolving such conflicts.Diplomatic and regional dynamics continue to intersect the broader Middle East landscape. Reports note that Israel’s diplomatic posture, including past discussions around a Gaza ceasefire framework and the potential deployment of an international stabilization force as part of a transition to a broader phase, remains a topic of international attention. At the same time, regional actors and international partners watch closely how Hamas’s leadership developments might influence the trajectory of the Gaza war and the broader security environment. In parallel, Israel’s management of weather-related vulnerabilities and disaster preparedness forms part of a wider picture of national resilience that affects daily life and security planning across the country.As this hour closes, the combination...
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