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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-22 at 12:08
HEADLINES
Knesset blocks Oct 7 attack inquiry
IDF kills Hezbollah operative amid border drills
US plans disarm Hamas, rebuild Gaza
The time is now 8:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Good morning. Here is your hourly briefing on developments shaping the Middle East and related global policy as the world watches the evolving Gaza ceasefire, regional security, and political dynamics in Israel and beyond.
In Jerusalem, the Knesset State Control Committee decisively blocked an opposition bid to establish a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 Hamas assault, a move that drew sharp condemnation from bereaved families and opposition lawmakers who argued it undermines accountability in the country’s greatest security failure. The vote, taken along coalition lines, underscored the government’s reluctance to establish an independent, impartial inquiry while investigators from the High Court have signaled the need for a formal review within the state framework. Government supporters say the war is ongoing and a broad inquiry could complicate national security operations, while critics say public trust requires transparent examination of what happened before and during the attack.
On the international front, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a visit by United States Vice President JD Vance, signaled opposition to any role for Turkish security forces in Gaza as part of a broader US-backed plan to monitor a ceasefire and manage postwar security. The two leaders discussed the “day-after” Gaza, including who could secure the territory once hostilities wane. Washington has framed the effort as a coordinated push to disarm Hamas, enable hostage return, and lay groundwork for Gaza’s reconstruction, even as questions remain about governance and security in the enclave.
In Washington and abroad, the ceasefire effort continues to attract attention. Vice President Vance emphasized the difficulties of disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza, while reiterating US support for a multilateral approach and oversight mechanisms. The administration has pressed partners and allies for a robust framework that could prevent a relapse into fighting and ensure accountable governance in Gaza. Separately, US Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio is slated to visit Israel for talks together with other US officials as part of a broader US diplomatic push in the region.
Meanwhile, security developments along Israel’s northern frontier and in Lebanon highlight ongoing risk and show actors recalibrating their postwar posture. The Israel Defense Forces said an operative from Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, Issa Ahmad Karbala, was killed in an airstrike in southern Lebanon while he was on a motorcycle in Ain Qana. The military described the operative’s movements as part of efforts to advance weapons transfers and attacks against Israel, signaling the vulnerability of contested border areas even as a November 2024 ceasefire remains in place. The strike comes as the IDF conducts one of its largest exercises in recent years, a full division-level drill by the 91st “Galilee” Division designed to test readiness across the border and inside northern communities. The army warned that explosions and an active opposing force scenario—including paragliders and intensified drone and naval activity—may be heard during the exercise.
In a related development on the Lebanon front, the IDF carried out a ground operation on the Lebanese side of Mount Dov to demolish Hezbollah posts believed to be used for entrenchment. Israeli officials said the operation, conducted by reservists and combat engineers, was aimed at preventing Hezbollah from reestablishing a foothold in the border area. The Lebanese war environment remains fragile, with regional diplomacy focusing on disarming Hezbollah and stabilizing the southern border while the broa
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