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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-24 at 21:04
HEADLINES
US Drones Monitor Gaza Ceasefire Live
Hamas Seeks Central Gaza Governance
Israeli Strike Kills Hezbollah Affiliate in Lebanon
The time is now 5:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Five o’clock update. The United States has begun flying surveillance drones over the Gaza Strip to monitor ceasefire compliance, with the consent of Israel, as part of a new civil-military coordination center established in southern Israel to oversee the ceasefire and to help facilitate humanitarian and security aid into Gaza. Officials describe these missions as real-time monitoring intended to prevent misunderstandings and support the flow of essential assistance amid a fragile pause in fighting.
Nearly two weeks into the ceasefire, Hamas continues to seek a central role in Gaza, signaling its intention to reestablish governance without being dragged into a new war. In Cairo, Palestinian factions formed a temporary governing committee, defying United States calls to exclude Hamas from power. The ceasefire’s durability remains in question as disputes over the exchange of hostages and remains unfold, and violence persists in pockets of the territory.
In Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces said it struck and killed a militant tied to Hezbollah who was involved in attempts to rebuild Hezbollah’s military capabilities in southern Lebanon. The army said the operation breached the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and indicated that it would continue to act to remove threats to Israeli security. The incident underscores the ongoing contention along the border as the region navigates a broader set of security challenges.
Turning to the Eastern Mediterranean, the 2025 Turkish Cypriot leadership election produced a decisive victory for Erhürman, a result Greek Cypriots welcomed as a potential opening for renewed negotiations. Observers see the possibility that a cyprus settlement could pave the way for cooperative energy projects and the reconfiguration of regional diplomacy. Israel, which has pursued energy ties with Cyprus and Greece, watches closely as the Cypriot leadership signals openness to a bi-zonal, bi-communal approach within a federal framework. A settlement could unlock joint development of natural gas resources off Cyprus and advance regional energy infrastructure, including electricity interconnectors linking Israel, Cyprus and Greece. Any progress would hinge on Ankara’s stance and on Turkish willingness to recalibrate its long-standing positions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
On the Turkish front, President Tayyip Erdogan called publicly for United States sanctions on Israel and for an end to arms sales, highlighting ongoing tensions over the Gaza conflict. Washington’s approach remains anchored in sustaining the ceasefire, coordinating humanitarian aid, and managing regional diplomacy, even as allied partners weigh strategic interests and competing regional alignments.
Background context remains critical. The ceasefire deal brokered earlier in the month by United States, Qatar and Egypt has faced strains from outbreaks of violence in Gaza and continuing disputes over hostage and body exchanges. The United States emphasizes close coordination with Israel and mediators to minimize the risk of miscalculation while pressing for progress on humanitarian relief and on a durable political arrangement that can hold the pause in hostilities.
Looking ahead, regional energy dynamics and security calculus will influence both Israel’s approach to its neighbors and its posture in international diplomacy. If Cyprus and Turkish Cypriots advance toward a settlement, Israel could gain a more predictable corridor for energy exports and a more stable environment for regional cooperation with Greece and Cyprus. Yet Turkish policy remains a wildcard, and Ankara’s choices will shape the tempo a
Published on 1 week, 4 days ago