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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-26 at 00:04
HEADLINES
Hamas Plans New Areas to Search Bodies
US Drones Monitor Gaza, Sustain Ceasefire
Erdogan Pushes Turkey Gaza Role, Israel Veto
The time is now 8:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Eight o’clock update. The ceasefire in Gaza remains technically in place, but tensions remain high as Hamas signals continued activity around the conflict’s human consequences. Khalil al-Hayya, a top figure in Hamas’s political leadership, told Al Jazeera that the group plans to enter new areas in the search for bodies, an assertion that underscores the fragile trust underpinning any pause in fighting and the ongoing pain on the ground.
In Washington, US officials confirm that unmanned aerial systems continue to monitor Gaza as part of efforts to sustain the ceasefire. The drones, operated with Israel’s consent, are described as providing an independent viewpoint on events in Gaza, aimed at supporting US judgment and policy while reducing direct mediation or misinterpretation of ground activity.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump asserted on Truth Social that Hamas must begin to return the remains of hostages, including American citizens, and he said he would be watching the situation closely over the next 48 hours. The comments reflect a hard line on hostage issues that has resonance in domestic politics as Washington weighs its long term approach to the conflict and its humanitarian obligations.
Across the United States, observers are also digesting a separate set of troubling developments. Leaked messages from politicians and aides across party lines reveal racist, antisemitic, and violent rhetoric, prompting widespread condemnation and in some cases resignations. The disclosures raise questions about how domestic rhetoric may influence policy choices and public support for foreign and security policy, including assessments of Israel’s security concerns and the imperative of protecting Jewish communities.
Israel is preparing for a seasonal time change tonight, moving clocks back by one hour as part of the country’s timekeeping law. The change to winter time will take effect at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, with clocks turning back to 1:00 a.m. It is noted that other states and countries have phased out seasonal clock changes, but Israel maintains this adjustment. The annual switch affects daylight in the mornings and the timing of evening activities, and the next return to summer time is scheduled for March 27, 2026.
On the regional front, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has intensified rhetoric regarding Israel, as protests include an effigy of Prime Minister Netanyahu bearing a death penalty sign. Erdogan has framed Turkey as indispensable to Gaza’s future, even as public reporting suggests Israel has reserved its veto power over Turkey’s role in any international stabilization effort. The evolving power dynamic in the region continues to shape discussions about security arrangements, humanitarian access, and the broader political climate surrounding the conflict.
In Dublin, Catherine Connolly, the left-backed candidate who ran on a broad reform platform, has been elected as president. Her remarks in the past describing Hamas as part of the fabric of the Palestinian people have fed into ongoing debates about how Western governments should engage with Palestinian factions and what that means for regional peace efforts and international support.
A notable development at home in Israel involves a separate security-related case in Petah Tikva. A well-known model, initially thought to be a suicide case, was arrested along with several others in what authorities describe as a homicide investigation. The incident has drawn attention to questions of criminal proceedings and public safety at the local level.
Reporting from the ongoing Gaza monitoring effort continues to empha
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