HEADLINES
Ceasefire Holds as Hostages Near Release
Gaza Destruction Hits Khan Younis 85 Percent
Lebanon Hezbollah Border Strikes Escalate Tension
The time is now 6:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
It’s 6:00 AM. Here is the hourly briefing on the latest developments in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, and related global currents as the ceasefire holds and the region watches for the next steps.
A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, announced in Sharm el-Sheikh, remains in effect as negotiators and security chiefs monitor compliance. In the latest update, officials say a batch of hostages is expected to be released within roughly 72 hours of the ceasefire taking hold, with twenty living captives anticipated in that first tranche. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Sheba Medical Center ahead of the expected arrival of hostages, signaling the government’s emphasis on delivering on the humanitarian component of the deal while preserving Israel’s security priorities. Separately, American and allied personnel are arriving in Israel to observe the peace arrangement and, officials say, to work with partner countries, civilian organizations, and the private sector to support implementation.
On the ground in Gaza, the humanitarian and reconstruction challenges continue to command attention. A local official in Khan Younis says the city has suffered catastrophic destruction, with estimates indicating that a vast share of the district—up to about 85 percent of the area—has been devastated. Civil authorities describe the scale of damage as beyond the capacity of normal coping, with a pressing need to clear millions of tons of rubble and restore basic services. They say efforts are underway to open key arteries and restore water and sewer networks, but fuel—diesel in particular—and other resources are in short supply as crews work to reestablish life-supporting infrastructure.
In southern Lebanon, the Israeli military reports persistent operations aimed at degrading Hezbollah’s ability to rebuild and threaten Israeli civilians from the border. The air force has carried out strikes against hundreds of Hezbollah construction vehicles and sites used to salvage and renovate infrastructure, according to military and security officials. They say more than 300 heavy vehicles, including bulldozers and excavators, have been destroyed in these efforts, which come as part of a broader pattern of near-daily strikes since the border tensions intensified after the Gaza conflict linked to the broader regional flare. The Lebanese presidency condemned the strikes as a grave violation of the ceasefire and national sovereignty, while health officials in Lebanon reported casualties from some of the strikes, including a fatality and several injuries in the al-Msayleh area. In Ayta ash-Shab, reservists and engineers located and destroyed a weapons cache, arguing the action was necessary to prevent the group from regaining the capacity to threaten nearby communities.
Within Hamas and the wider Palestinian political sphere, tensions and sharp exchanges continue to surface. A prominent Hamas figure, Musa Abu Marzouk, grew agitated during a televised interview when pressed about past hostilities and strategic aims, underscoring the ongoing pressure within the movement as it navigates the ceasefire’s terms and the regional security landscape.
International and regional currents also figure into the day’s picture. Protests and political turmoil in parts of Asia and the Middle East intersect with the Gaza reality in various ways. In Pakistan, thousands of hard-right activists continued street demonstrations, advancing toward the capital in a display of opposition to the US-brokered ceasefire. The protests reflect broader regional sensitivities and the way different governments and political movements perceive shifts
Published on 3 weeks, 5 days ago
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