Podcast Episode Details

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-18 at 09:07

---

---

HEADLINES
Iran ends 2015 limits redraws nuclear future
Gaza strike kills 11, family mourns
Turkey leads Gaza talks, reshapes postwar order

The time is now 5:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

It is five o’clock in the morning, and here is your hourly update on the Middle East and surrounding developments, with notes on security, diplomacy, and domestic dynamics that shape the region’s trajectory.

Iran today signaled a major shift in its nuclear posture, saying it is no longer bound by the restrictions that formed the core of the 2015 nuclear agreement. In a statement reported by regional outlets, Tehran’s foreign ministry asserted that all provisions of the deal, including limits on its nuclear program and related monitoring mechanisms, are now considered canceled in light of the expiry of the agreement and associated United Nations measures. The claim underscores a restart of diplomatic bargaining dynamics in a region already in flux, and it drew early attention from Western capitals and regional capitals alike, who will be watching how Tehran calibrates its step with its neighbors and international partners.

In Gaza, the humanitarian and security picture remains tightly interwoven with the broader conflict. Israeli forces carried out operations in eastern Gaza that the Hamas civil defense described as targeting a vehicle carrying a Gaza family. The result was the deaths of 11 members of the Abu Shawaban family, highlighting the deadly toll of movement across lines in a heavily surveilled and densely populated area. The Israeli military later confirmed the return of remains to Israel from Hamas-held territory; among those identified was Eliyahu Margalit, a Nir Oz resident and father of three, whose body had been handed over by Hamas. Military and civilian authorities emphasized that the return of remains follows the identification process conducted with forensic and security teams, and that families are preparing for burial and public commemoration in coming days. Across the strip, humanitarian officials and residents described ongoing difficulties in securing aid and restoring basic services amid continuing military activity and the political limelight surrounding ceasefire discussions.

The ceasefire and hostage-recovery dynamic continues to be a focal point of regional diplomacy. In parallel developments, Ankara’s role in Gaza talks has grown more prominent in discussions shaped by international mediation and regional leverage. Turkish authorities and analysts note that President Erdogan’s approach combines a push for a ceasefire with broader ambitions to shape postwar governance in the region, a strategy that some observers say could yield gains but also carry risks if expectations are not met on the ground. The intersection of Turkish diplomacy with US engagement and regional security concerns remains a live feature of the diplomatic landscape.

Within Israel, domestic debate about the war’s trajectory and the prospect of a political settlement continues to evolve. A member of the Hadash party, Hadash-Israeli Arab lawmaker Aida Touma-Sliman, participated in discussions about recognizing a Palestinian state and the broader shape of a potential postwar settlement. Her comments reflect a view among some Arab-Israeli lawmakers that political arrangements could shift international recognition and support for Palestinian statehood, even as the security calculus remains front and center for many Jewish Israelis. Touma-Sliman has been explicit about the need for ending the occupation and for a process that includes Palestinian self-determination as part of a broader peace framework, while acknowledging the deep skepticism that persists about the feasibility of a two-state solution under current conditions. Her articulation also points to ongoing debates about whether opposition and minority parties

---

Published on 2 weeks, 4 days ago