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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-15 at 23:08
HEADLINES
International force to stabilize Gaza
Israelis cautious optimism wary of renewed fighting
Iran nuclear push alarms West
The time is now 7:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Good evening. This is the 7:00 PM update on the evolving situation in the Middle East, with emphasis on Israel, Gaza, and the wider international response. The ceasefire that followed the hostage and prisoner exchange remains fragile as the parties assess next steps, with both living hostages and the remains of those killed continuing to shape the political and military calculations on the ground.
First, the immediate political and security backdrop. Hamas has asserted that it delivered all living hostages it could and the bodies of some who were in its custody. Israeli officials, however, say there are additional deceased hostages whose locations remain known to Hamas and that the implementation of the broader agreement depends on the behavior of the group in the days ahead. Washington has signaled that planning is underway for an international stabilization force to operate in Gaza as part of the broader framework associated with President Trump’s 20-point plan. The aim, at this stage, is to establish a basic stabilization of the Gaza situation, with potential roles for regional actors such as Egypt, Qatar, and Indonesia as part of the stabilizing arrangement.
Within Israel, public sentiment about the pause in fighting shows a country that is grateful for the respite but wary about what comes next. Residents in Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda market and other urban centers have described a mixture of cautious optimism and concern that the current calm could be short-lived. Although many see the break as a rare breathing space two years after Hamas’s October 7 shock, others warn that political divisions and the ghosts of past tensions could undermine social cohesion if the ceasefire does not hold. The country’s leadership has stressed that while military activity may pause, the war in Gaza is not over, and the IDF remains ready to resume operations if Hamas violates the terms of the ceasefire or endangers Israeli security.
On the battlefield and in the posture of the Israeli security forces, there remains a readiness to act if trust erodes. Israeli officials have said that the IDF is preserving the capacity to reengage in Gaza’s urban and tunnel networks, including the destruction of underground structures and residual military capabilities should the need arise. At the same time, the ceasefire accord is intended to prevent a broader regional conflagration and to create space for humanitarian relief, reconstruction, and negotiations on a longer-term settlement. The casualty figures kept by Israel’s defense establishment reflect the heavy toll of the conflict since October 7, with over a thousand Israeli soldiers and security personnel reported as fallen, and the latest two weeks adding several more to that tally.
Domestic unrest and policing in Israel also feature prominently. In Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, police and border police have confronted crowds that blocked roads, threw objects, and attempted to disrupt transit flow. Officers reported several arrests and emphasized that while lawful protest remains protected, disorder and harm to the public will be addressed. The police have stressed that the objective is to safeguard demonstrators’ right to protest while maintaining public order and safety for all road users. The security services say they will continue to police protests within the bounds of the law and in a manner that preserves civil liberties while protecting citizens and infrastructure.
Turning to the international dimension, there is ongoing attention to how the Gaza crisis is being managed beyond the borders. A senior US adviser indicated that planning is underway for an international stabil
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