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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-22 at 08:10
HEADLINES
US Diplomacy Intensifies Gaza Ceasefire Push
ICJ Advisory Opinion On Gaza Aid
West Bank 32 Foreign Activists Deported
The time is now 4:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
According to reports, a flurry of high‑level diplomacy is under way as Washington seeks to reinforce alignment with Israel amid ongoing security and humanitarian considerations. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is slated to visit Israel on Thursday for a two‑day trip, with his arrival to be followed by the arrival in Israel of a delegation led by US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday. Also in the region are envoys connected to President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner and Steven Witkoff, who are in Israel as part of ongoing US efforts to support the Gaza ceasefire process and regional discussions. The advancing timeline and the presence of senior US figures underscore Washington’s interest in sustaining coordination with Israeli security authorities and regional partners as the Gaza situation remains fragile and potentially volatile.
In The Hague, the International Court of Justice will issue an advisory opinion on Wednesday regarding Israel’s obligations to allow aid to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The court’s guidance, requested by the UN General Assembly, is expected to address protections for UN staff and other aid workers worldwide and could have implications beyond the immediate Gaza conflict, shaping international expectations of how aid access and humanitarian operation requirements are framed in wartime.
On the ground in the West Bank and across Israel, authorities reported the unprecedented expulsion of 32 foreign activists who had gathered near a harvest site in the northern part of the West Bank in protest. Israeli authorities said the demonstrators were connected to a group identified with a Palestinian organization linked to terror designations, and the action included arrests and a deportation order lasting 99 years. The move drew immediate comment from Israeli officials who stressed sovereignty and security, while critics argued that the handling of protests raises questions about freedom of assembly and the handling of foreign participants in volatile areas. The incident comes amid broader tensions over settlement activity and security in the Jordan River valley and Judea and Samaria, where Israeli authorities say preventive steps are necessary to maintain order and protect civilians.
In domestic policy, the government’s long‑stalled plan to regulate ultra‑Orthodox conscription is being rewritten with new language. A revised draft is to be presented to lawmakers next week with the aim of advancing to the plenum for final readings in December. The chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Boaz Bismuth, indicated the draft would set a path toward bringing 10,000 Haredi men into service within two years and increasing the share of those who serve in the years ahead, while balancing religious obligations with national security needs. Critics, including opposition politicians, argue the proposal is designed to appease coalition partners and may face legal challenges, particularly given court rulings on exemptions. The plan lays out sanctions for draft evaders and ties government funding for yeshivas to meeting enlistment quotas, though it also contemplates protections for those who study Torah full time. The debate highlights the centrality of security staffing for the army amid ongoing regional pressures, and the tension within Israeli society between military service and religious study.
In Gaza and broader Middle East diplomacy, Hamas leaders reportedly met with Turkish intelligence and foreign ministers in Doha, reiterating a commitment to a ceasefire while emphasizing the Palestinian right to self‑determination and an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. Concurrently, re
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