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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-26 at 02:10
HEADLINES
UN-backed Gaza force enforces ceasefire
Drone strike near Harouf kills Hezbollah commander
Egypt to join Gaza hostage search
The time is now 10:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
The following is the 10:00 PM news update on the Middle East, with a close look at Israeli security concerns, the Gaza ceasefire, and the international effort to stabilize the region.
The ceasefire in Gaza remains the thread tying together a complex web of regional interests and domestic anxieties. Mediation continues among the United States and regional partners, who say a multinational stabilization force could play a central role in enforcing security along the boundaries, protecting aid flows, and creating space for reconstruction. Diplomats have signaled that an international mandate would help recruit participating states and define rules of engagement, a step many governments see as essential before any deployment can proceed. At the same time, officials stress that the long-term objective is Gaza’s demilitarization and a line that can be moved as security conditions improve, with the ultimate aim of preventing a relapse into large-scale hostilities.
In Jerusalem and across the border, security officials emphasize that Israel’s enduring objective is to ensure the safety of its citizens while avoiding a protracted occupation. Israeli leadership has underscored that any stabilization framework must address Hamas’s disarmament and the threat of militant groups operating in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the appointment of Major-General (ret.) David Zini as head of the Shin Bet, saying the new leadership would strengthen Israel’s ability to assess and counter evolving security threats and to maintain independence in the country’s security policy, even amid regional debates about the best path to reconstruction and peaceful coexistence.
On the ground in the region, tensions flare in other domains connected to the Gaza crisis. In southern Lebanon, the Lebanese health ministry reported casualties stemming from Israeli strikes, including incidents described as targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. A drone strike near Harouf reportedly killed a commander linked to Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, and another strike in the Tyre region reportedly caused further fatalities. The Israeli military has not commented on every report in real time, but the broader pattern of cross-border operations remains a concern for regional stability and for the prospects of broader escalation.
Across the waters, US officials have reiterated that while a durable ceasefire is the immediate objective, the ends extend beyond Gaza’s borders. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that he does not anticipate a permanent division of Gaza and has argued that a multinational stabilization force could be deployed to enforce security across the Palestinian territory, provided a clear mission and rules of engagement are in place. Rubio has also indicated that the United States has been coordinating with Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, with interest reportedly expressed by countries including Indonesia and Azerbaijan. He noted that the next phase would require a UN-backed framework to mobilize additional international support. Rubio’s comments came as a senior US military official was anticipated to visit Israel, underscoring the ongoing cadence of high-level diplomacy aimed at keeping the ceasefire intact.
In parallel, the political and humanitarian front remains deeply intertwined. Hamas has underscored its reluctance to disarm and has warned that excluding it from governance could lead to instability in Gaza. The organization has signaled it will expand operations to locate and recover bodies of hostages, a decision that raises questions about the stability of the ceasefire and the prospects for further concessions in the
Published on 1 week, 2 days ago