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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-15 at 09:07
Published 1 month, 1 week ago
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HEADLINES
US Unveils Phase Two Gaza Governance Plan
Phase One Delivers Aid, Living Hostages Return
Iran Crackdown Spurs Travel Advisories, Cyrus Vision
The time is now 4:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This hour, Phase Two of the Gaza plan moves forward as Washington signals a shift from ceasefire to demilitarization, governance, and reconstruction. US envoy Steve Witkoff announced that Phase Two will establish a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza, create the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and begin full demilitarization and reconstruction, including the removal of unauthorized armed groups. The United States says Hamas must fully meet its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage, with consequences threatened for noncompliance.
Phase One delivered humanitarian aid, sustained the ceasefire, and facilitated the return of living hostages, with the remains of most of the deceased recovered. Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar were credited for mediation that made progress possible. The next phase introduces a Palestinian technical committee and a governance framework that regional media describe with cautious optimism, even as Israel remains skeptical about Hamas’s willingness to disarm and doubts linger about what disarmament would entail in practical terms.
The plan envisions disarmament in stages, including removal of Hamas weapon factories and other terrorist infrastructure, as well as destruction of missiles and rocket components. A Gaza police force is expected to be established, and discussions have included possible amnesty for some Hamas members. Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar are involved in the process, and a broader international role is contemplated. An International Stabilization Force, authorized by the UN Security Council, has been discussed to oversee areas still under Israeli control and to permit a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, though no participating members have been finalized. Reconstruction is projected to require tens of billions of dollars, with estimates around fifty billion, underscoring the scale of the long‑term effort beyond security arrangements.
On the Israeli front, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear that Ran Gvili’s return remains a top priority and that the establishment of a technocratic committee will not derail efforts to bring the fallen master sergeant home for burial. The Israeli Defense Forces reported that, following a ceasefire violation yesterday, troops eliminated armed militants who fired toward IDF soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip, reflecting the continuing security challenges surrounding the ceasefire’s fragile footing.
Beyond Gaza, regional and international dynamics continue to influence events. Iran’s ongoing crackdown on nationwide protests remains disputed, with authorities citing lower casualty reports and rights groups and opposition sites citing higher figures. In Washington, President Trump said crackdowns in Iran appeared to be easing and suggested there was no plan for large‑scale executions. Tehran, for its part, denied reports of imminent executions. In a broader regional frame, exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi released a vision for a post‑Islamic Republic Iran, calling for immediate recognition of Israel and expansion of the Abraham Accords into what he termed the Cyrus Accords, a secular, democratic Iran that would cooperate with regional and global partners. Observers note the viability of such a transition remains uncertain, and it is unclear how much influence exiled leadership commands inside Iran.
The security landscape also features Western cautions. The United States and Britain have issued travel advisories for Israel amid tensions linked to Iran’s crackdown and the prospect of regional spillover. Several countries have
US Unveils Phase Two Gaza Governance Plan
Phase One Delivers Aid, Living Hostages Return
Iran Crackdown Spurs Travel Advisories, Cyrus Vision
The time is now 4:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This hour, Phase Two of the Gaza plan moves forward as Washington signals a shift from ceasefire to demilitarization, governance, and reconstruction. US envoy Steve Witkoff announced that Phase Two will establish a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza, create the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and begin full demilitarization and reconstruction, including the removal of unauthorized armed groups. The United States says Hamas must fully meet its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage, with consequences threatened for noncompliance.
Phase One delivered humanitarian aid, sustained the ceasefire, and facilitated the return of living hostages, with the remains of most of the deceased recovered. Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar were credited for mediation that made progress possible. The next phase introduces a Palestinian technical committee and a governance framework that regional media describe with cautious optimism, even as Israel remains skeptical about Hamas’s willingness to disarm and doubts linger about what disarmament would entail in practical terms.
The plan envisions disarmament in stages, including removal of Hamas weapon factories and other terrorist infrastructure, as well as destruction of missiles and rocket components. A Gaza police force is expected to be established, and discussions have included possible amnesty for some Hamas members. Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar are involved in the process, and a broader international role is contemplated. An International Stabilization Force, authorized by the UN Security Council, has been discussed to oversee areas still under Israeli control and to permit a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, though no participating members have been finalized. Reconstruction is projected to require tens of billions of dollars, with estimates around fifty billion, underscoring the scale of the long‑term effort beyond security arrangements.
On the Israeli front, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear that Ran Gvili’s return remains a top priority and that the establishment of a technocratic committee will not derail efforts to bring the fallen master sergeant home for burial. The Israeli Defense Forces reported that, following a ceasefire violation yesterday, troops eliminated armed militants who fired toward IDF soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip, reflecting the continuing security challenges surrounding the ceasefire’s fragile footing.
Beyond Gaza, regional and international dynamics continue to influence events. Iran’s ongoing crackdown on nationwide protests remains disputed, with authorities citing lower casualty reports and rights groups and opposition sites citing higher figures. In Washington, President Trump said crackdowns in Iran appeared to be easing and suggested there was no plan for large‑scale executions. Tehran, for its part, denied reports of imminent executions. In a broader regional frame, exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi released a vision for a post‑Islamic Republic Iran, calling for immediate recognition of Israel and expansion of the Abraham Accords into what he termed the Cyrus Accords, a secular, democratic Iran that would cooperate with regional and global partners. Observers note the viability of such a transition remains uncertain, and it is unclear how much influence exiled leadership commands inside Iran.
The security landscape also features Western cautions. The United States and Britain have issued travel advisories for Israel amid tensions linked to Iran’s crackdown and the prospect of regional spillover. Several countries have