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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-23 at 16:10
HEADLINES
Disarm Hamas, return of hostages' remains prerequisite
Rubio oversees Gaza ceasefire talks with Netanyahu
Unexploded ordnance could take decades to clear
The time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At twelve noon, a set of developments from Israel, the surrounding region, and global partners shapes a pause marked by diplomacy, security concerns, and humanitarian challenges. In Israel, United States Senator Marco Rubio arrived to continue overseeing the Gaza ceasefire and deal implementation, greeted by United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, with a scheduled meeting later this evening with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The visit underscores Washington’s ongoing role as mediator and guarantor in a fragile arrangement that has altered daily life across the border.
In northern Israel, sixteen people were injured in car accidents and were evacuated to Ziv Medical Center in Safed, according to hospital spokespeople. Across the country, officials continued to monitor security threats and the broader political environment as the Gaza issue remains at the center of both domestic debate and regional diplomacy.
Jerusalem also looks ahead to a major global gathering, as the 39th World Zionist Congress is planned in Jerusalem from October 28 to October 30, 2025. The congress is expected to shape discussions within the Jewish world about leadership, identity, and the practical realities of maintaining communities and institutions in a challenging regional context.
On the security and political front, Israel’s top military leadership reiterated conditions for moving forward with the Gaza deal. IDF Chief of Staff Zamir told United States Senator JD Vance that Hamas must disarm and that the return of the remains of thirteen hostages currently held in Gaza must be a prerequisite before advancing to the next phase of any agreed framework. The remarks come as voices from families and officials urge further progress toward the safe return of all hostages and the reconfiguration of Gaza governance.
In broader political commentary, a Time magazine interview with former United States President Donald Trump featured strong warnings that Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank would jeopardize American support for Israel. The interview described a two-stage ceasefire framework shaped with regional mediators and highlighted US concerns about unilateral territorial changes, even as the administration sought to sustain a security- and diplomacy-driven reshaping of the region.
A separate line of discussion centered on the memory and resilience of Jewish communities. The death of Michael Smuss, a survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto, at the age of 99 was reported, marking another moment to reflect on the traumas of the past that continue to inform present-day debates about security, memory, and reconciliation.
In regional diplomacy and messaging, the Chinese embassy in Israel issued a statement affirming what it described as the One China principle, noting that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government. The statement was released in the context of ongoing global discussions about China’s role and influence in the Middle East and beyond.
Within Israeli politics, Bezalel Smotrich, the Finance Minister, faced backlash over remarks interpreted as signaling that normalization with Saudi Arabia should not be offered in exchange for a Palestinian state. After a swift backlash from Saudi and other observers, Smotrich apologized for the tone of his comment, while maintaining that his broader position on Jewish rights in the West Bank remains a point of contention in the evolving regional dialogue ahead of key regional summits and potential deals. The controversy reflects the delicate b
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