Podcast Episode Details

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-16 at 20:08

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HEADLINES
- Nine Hostages Returned as Ceasefire Holds
- Five-Year Target: 50% Haredi Conscripts
- New Gazan War Crimes Tribunal Proposed

The time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

A fragile pause in the Gaza ceasefire endures as negotiators press for the next phase while the human cost of the war continues to dominate headlines and hearts on both sides. In Gaza, the work of locating and recovering remains of those killed during the October 7 assault remains a central test of the ceasefire’s credibility. Israel has shared precise coordinates of where it believes hostages’ bodies lie with mediators in coordination with the United States, a step meant to accelerate the return of the dead and advance the broader deal. Nine of the original 28 slain hostages have already been returned to Israel, with nineteen more believed to still be in Gaza. A joint multinational task force is being assembled to locate and recover those remains, while Turkey has begun sending dozens of disaster relief experts to assist in the search. The United States’ exact role in the emerging force on the ground remains unsettled as discussions continue among Washington, regional partners, and mediators. The timing and scope of the next phase of the truce thus remain uncertain, even as both sides say they want to avoid a broader conflict.

On the ground, diplomatic and security leaders in Israel have signaled readiness to move quickly should Hamas falter in fulfilling its commitments. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a high-level security meeting to discuss possible steps if Hamas does not return the bodies of all slain captives. Officials floated options ranging from restricting reconstruction materials into Gaza to delaying the reopening of the Rafah crossing for people, measures aimed at pressuring Hamas while the ceasefire holds in what many describe as a delicate balance between restraint and deterrence. In parallel, defense officials have underscored Israel’s expectation that all elements of the ceasefire be honored, including the return of the dead, the living hostages, and the demilitarization of areas that have become flashpoints in the conflict.

Beyond Gaza, regional and international diplomacy continues to frame the long-term security architecture. France and Britain, coordinating with the United States, are moving to finalize a United Nations Security Council resolution that would lay the groundwork for a future international stabilization mission in Gaza. Paris and London describe the measure as a step toward creating a robust, broadly supported force, with Arab and Muslim states participating but not directly run by the United Nations. Egypt has also stepped into the diplomatic mix, announcing that an Israel-approved Palestinian council will govern Gaza during a transitional period, while Hamas would have no role in that governance. The arrangement appears designed to reassure neighboring states and global powers that a postwar governance structure can emerge under international oversight, potentially easing humanitarian access and reconstruction.

In Israel’s domestic arena, a major policy debate continues over the future of ultra-Orthodox conscription. Boaz Bismuth, a Likud member who chairs the Knesset’s defense panel, has presented a draft framework intended to guide a soon-to-be-formulated bill on Haredi military service. The proposal envisions that within five years half of the Haredi draft cohort would be conscripted, with the exemption age maintained at 26. Yeshiva budgets would face reductions only after meeting enlistment quotas for more than a year, and sanctions would be applied only after two years if targets are not met. In practice, this approach aims to reconcile Torah study with military service, a balance many in Israel see as essential to national security given the wartime demands on the ID

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Published on 2 weeks, 6 days ago