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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-20 at 18:08
Published 1 month, 1 week ago
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HEADLINES
- Hebron raid widens amid deadly clan clashes
- Herzog urges lifting ICC sanctions on Netanyahu
- Gaza postwar governance via Board of Peace
The time is now 1:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Here is your hourly update on developments in the Middle East and related global politics.
In Hebron, Israeli forces expanded a large-scale operation in the southern city after months of escalating clashes between rival Palestinian families in the Jabal Johar district and surrounding areas. The Israeli army says the operation is aimed at thwarting terror infrastructures and seizing illegal weapons to restore security in the area. Residents describe the neighborhood as increasingly lawless, with daily gunfire, arson of homes and businesses, and a heavy military presence sealing off streets and detaining suspects for questioning. The Israeli action follows the killing of Mohammed Najib Rajabi, a Hebron native, whose death in an exchange of gunfire between armed men touched off renewed violence within the Rajabi clan and raised alarms about the safety of nearby Jewish communities in Kiryat Arba. Palestinian Authority officials in Hebron criticized the raid as politically motivated and warned that it could reshape the balance of control in a city divided under the 1997 Hebron Accords into areas H-1 and H-2. Community voices quoted by local outlets say there is a longstanding demand for enforcement of law and order and for disarmament, while observers caution that a short-term crackdown may not resolve the underlying tensions or the widespread availability of weapons.
At Davos, President Isaac Herzog pressed the international community to lift what he called illegitimate sanctions tied to the International Criminal Court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. He argued that barring these leaders from global forums harms Israel’s ability to participate in international diplomacy and is inconsistent with the role of Israel as a democracy on the front lines of regional security. The ICC action, which has included arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant in connection with alleged crimes linked to the Gaza war, has prompted questions about travel and engagement for Israeli officials abroad. Herzog told officials including United Nations General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock that removing such restrictions would help build trust with allies and partners while underscoring Israel’s security considerations amid regional threats.
In Jerusalem, Israel announced plans to shut down water and electricity supplies to UNRWA facilities within its borders, following legislation passed in December and the forced demolition of UNRWA’s Jerusalem headquarters. Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen said warning letters had gone out and that disconnections would begin and be completed within two weeks. He insisted the action targets UNRWA facilities identified as belonging to the agency, arguing that UNRWA has employed Hamas operatives and allowed activities that support terror. UNRWA officials condemned the move as an affront to humanitarian work, while international critics warned it could complicate aid delivery to Palestinian refugees. The policy comes amid wider debate about UNRWA’s role and the future of Palestinian assistance in areas under Israeli control, and Israel has argued that dual-use materials and facilities linked to UNRWA must be scrutinized for security reasons.
On the Gaza postwar front, discussions continue over governance frameworks that could shape the Strip’s future beyond the current ceasefire. A Palestinian technocratic governing committee, headed by Ali Shaath, has been assembled to run internal affairs and administer services in place of Hamas, with portfolios mirroring those of a sovereign administration. Separately, a broader intern
- Hebron raid widens amid deadly clan clashes
- Herzog urges lifting ICC sanctions on Netanyahu
- Gaza postwar governance via Board of Peace
The time is now 1:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Here is your hourly update on developments in the Middle East and related global politics.
In Hebron, Israeli forces expanded a large-scale operation in the southern city after months of escalating clashes between rival Palestinian families in the Jabal Johar district and surrounding areas. The Israeli army says the operation is aimed at thwarting terror infrastructures and seizing illegal weapons to restore security in the area. Residents describe the neighborhood as increasingly lawless, with daily gunfire, arson of homes and businesses, and a heavy military presence sealing off streets and detaining suspects for questioning. The Israeli action follows the killing of Mohammed Najib Rajabi, a Hebron native, whose death in an exchange of gunfire between armed men touched off renewed violence within the Rajabi clan and raised alarms about the safety of nearby Jewish communities in Kiryat Arba. Palestinian Authority officials in Hebron criticized the raid as politically motivated and warned that it could reshape the balance of control in a city divided under the 1997 Hebron Accords into areas H-1 and H-2. Community voices quoted by local outlets say there is a longstanding demand for enforcement of law and order and for disarmament, while observers caution that a short-term crackdown may not resolve the underlying tensions or the widespread availability of weapons.
At Davos, President Isaac Herzog pressed the international community to lift what he called illegitimate sanctions tied to the International Criminal Court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. He argued that barring these leaders from global forums harms Israel’s ability to participate in international diplomacy and is inconsistent with the role of Israel as a democracy on the front lines of regional security. The ICC action, which has included arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant in connection with alleged crimes linked to the Gaza war, has prompted questions about travel and engagement for Israeli officials abroad. Herzog told officials including United Nations General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock that removing such restrictions would help build trust with allies and partners while underscoring Israel’s security considerations amid regional threats.
In Jerusalem, Israel announced plans to shut down water and electricity supplies to UNRWA facilities within its borders, following legislation passed in December and the forced demolition of UNRWA’s Jerusalem headquarters. Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen said warning letters had gone out and that disconnections would begin and be completed within two weeks. He insisted the action targets UNRWA facilities identified as belonging to the agency, arguing that UNRWA has employed Hamas operatives and allowed activities that support terror. UNRWA officials condemned the move as an affront to humanitarian work, while international critics warned it could complicate aid delivery to Palestinian refugees. The policy comes amid wider debate about UNRWA’s role and the future of Palestinian assistance in areas under Israeli control, and Israel has argued that dual-use materials and facilities linked to UNRWA must be scrutinized for security reasons.
On the Gaza postwar front, discussions continue over governance frameworks that could shape the Strip’s future beyond the current ceasefire. A Palestinian technocratic governing committee, headed by Ali Shaath, has been assembled to run internal affairs and administer services in place of Hamas, with portfolios mirroring those of a sovereign administration. Separately, a broader intern