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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-24 at 22:06
HEADLINES
US drones track Gaza ceasefire live
HRW urges UNRWA aid entry into Gaza
Hamas forms Cairo governing committee
The time is now 6:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Good evening. Here is the latest hourly update on the changing security and diplomatic landscape in the Middle East and nearby regions, with context for international audiences.
The United States has begun flying surveillance drones over the Gaza Strip to monitor ceasefire compliance, with Israel’s consent. The missions form part of a broader effort to track ground activity and verify that both sides are honoring the agreement brokered earlier this month by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. The surveillance is connected to a civil-military coordination center established in southern Israel by US Central Command, which is designed to monitor the ceasefire in real time and to help coordinate humanitarian, logistical, and security assistance. Officials emphasize that the goal is to reduce misperceptions and keep the ceasefire on track, even as ground realities in Gaza remain fragile and the broader exchange of hostages and remains can complicate the process. Israel has not disclosed the drone locations, and US officials have cautioned that the situation remains fluid, with ups and downs as both sides adjust to the terms of the accord.
The ceasefire arrangement continues to face strain from new episodes of violence and disputes over the exchange of bodies, underscoring how delicate the situation remains. In Washington, and among close allies, there is renewed emphasis on monitoring mechanisms and on urgent humanitarian access to Gaza. The US has sought to balance security concerns with international calls to facilitate relief, aid, and reconstruction. In this vein, the US civil-military coordination center is described as a hub for real-time monitoring and for coordinating the flow of humanitarian and security support into Gaza, even as questions linger about transparency and trust between the principal parties.
Human rights and aid access remain prominent points of discussion. Human Rights Watch has urged Israel’s allies to press Israel to allow immediate entry of UNRWA resources and humanitarian aid without bureaucratic obstacles, highlighting the need to ensure assistance reaches civilians in Gaza who have faced immense hardship. The humanitarian question remains central to the ceasefire’s viability; without reliable access to aid and services, pressure to uphold the truce could erode on the ground.
In the West Bank, settlers have carried out property damage in and around the village of al-Muqir, north-east of Ramallah, in a development that keeps tensions high in the broader regional picture. Such incidents, while separate from Gaza, contribute to a climate of volatility that complicates diplomacy and the calculus of regional security. Observers note that the humanitarian and safety needs of Palestinians in the West Bank continue to demand sustained international attention alongside efforts to manage the Gaza situation.
Hamas’s stance as the ceasefire enters its second week continues to be a focal point for mediators. In Cairo, Palestinian factions formed a temporary governing committee, signaling an attempt to present a unified front even as Western mediators urge inclusion of all major groups in the political process. Hamas has framed its participation in discussions as part of a broader strategy to influence mediation and to avoid being drawn into a broader regional conflict, while still signaling its intent to reassert operational influence in Gaza should the ceasefire prove brittle. The dynamics between Hamas, regional mediators, and international powers remain a central axis of the current diplomacy.
Looking eastward, a major regional development could reshape the security and economic landscap
Published on 1 week, 4 days ago