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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-18 at 21:06
HEADLINES
Tel Aviv rally demands full hostage return
US mulls Vance Israel visit on ceasefire
IDF destroys Hezbollah operative rebuilding militia
The time is now 5:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the five o’clock update from the region, with the latest developments and the context listeners need to understand the significance of today’s events.
Families of Israeli hostages and survivors gathered in Tel Aviv for a central rally, asserting that the agreement to bring hostages home is not fully fulfilled and demanding that all remaining captives be returned. They recalled the lives affected by the October 7th attacks and pressed for accountability and renewed momentum from mediators and policymakers. The rally followed recent announcements that Hamas has released living hostages and cadavers over the ceasefire, but still holds eighteen people and many others’ fates unresolved. In parallel, officials confirmed that two more deceased hostages’ bodies were handed over to the Red Cross, as part of ongoing ceasefire arrangements, with humanitarian and family groups urging quicker progress to complete the deal.
On the diplomatic front, Washington is weighing next steps in the Gaza ceasefire process. A prospective visit by Vice President JD Vance to Israel is under consideration to discuss the next phases of implementing the agreement, with involvement by Steve Witkoff, a US special envoy, and Jared Kushner as part of the American delegation. In Israel, families’ groups and mediators have pressed for the full return of all hostages and the timely execution of the agreed framework, while officials have warned that delays or deviations from the plan could undermine the larger objective of stabilizing the situation and enabling humanitarian relief.
Security developments remain a central concern. The Israeli Defense Forces reported recent operations aimed at preventing weapons smuggling and weakening hostile infrastructure. In the south, forces intercepted suspected illicit activity linked to Hezbollah, including a strike against an operative involved in rebuilding Hezbollah capabilities in southern Lebanon. Separately, border and cross-border activity persisted, including an incident in the Mount Hermon region where suspects were detained in an attempted weapons flow from Syria to Lebanon. Across the border, the Israeli military has maintained a posture intended to deter renewed cross-border attacks and to disrupt attempts to restore militant capabilities.
In Gaza, the humanitarian situation and the mechanics of aid travel continue to be a point of contention. A faction known as Tzav 9 has warned that no aid will enter Gaza until Israel secures every last hostage body, signaling the leverage some groups still hold over relief corridors. Israeli officials have indicated that opening routes such as Rafah remains contingent on the full and faithful execution of the ceasefire terms, including the return of hostages and verification of their identities. The broader question for international donors and aid agencies is how to deliver life-saving aid without enabling factions that may seek to exploit relief programs for strategic gain.
Political dynamics inside Israel add another layer to the crisis. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has publicly pressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dismantle Hamas and to pursue the death penalty for terrorists, signaling potential friction within the coalition if demands are not satisfied. Ben Gvir did not specify a precise timeline, but indicated that he expects decisive steps and warned that his party could withdraw if those steps are not taken. The government has signaled it intends to move forward with a legal and policy path consistent with the coalition’s framework, while opponents argue that the focus must remain on the hostages’ safe
Published on 2 weeks, 4 days ago