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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-21 at 16:07
Published 1 month ago
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HEADLINES
- Temple Mount Allows Jewish Prayer Page Entry
- Gaza Ceasefire Under Fire as 11 Dead
- Damascus Plans Hasakah Realignment With SDF
The time is now 11:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Today’s update covers the shifting dynamics across the Middle East, with attention to Israeli and Jewish perspectives for an international audience.
In Jerusalem, Israeli police announced a change to Temple Mount policy allowing Jewish visitors to enter the site with a single prayer page prepared in advance and distributed at the entrance by the Temple Mount Yeshiva. Personal prayer books, phylacteries, and other items remain prohibited. The approved page includes instructions for visitors and the Amidah, a central prayer recited three times daily. The policy marks a notable shift from the long-standing ban on Jewish prayer at the site, a cornerstone of the delicate status quo dating to 1967. The move comes weeks after Major General Avshalom Peled took command of the Jerusalem District, a position viewed as closely allied with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has publicly pressed for expanded Jewish prayer rights at the Mount. The Temple Mount Administration welcomed the change and hopes study pages will gain broader approval. The First and Second Temples were constructed on the site, which remains the holiest location in Judaism, and the current understanding balances access with security concerns. Non-Muslims may still visit, but the prohibition on prayer and ritual gestures remains in place. In context, hundreds of Jewish visitors have been detained or arrested over the years for quiet prayers or for carrying religious materials. Jewish ascent figures have risen in recent years, with Beyadenu identifying an ascent total around 68,429 in the latest tallies, up from the prior year’s level, signaling continued interest in maintaining a Jewish connection to the site.
In the Gaza context, the latest developments report a fresh round of violence amid a fragile ceasefire framework. Palestinian medics and officials said that Israeli fire on Wednesday killed 11 Palestinians in Gaza, including three journalists and two children, while the Israeli military described one operation as targeting suspects linked to a Hamas-affiliated drone and those who posed a threat to soldiers. The army said the strike occurred after a drone was observed in the area and the decision was made at the appropriate command level. The reported deaths come as the ceasefire, in effect since last fall, has left Israeli forces in control of approximately half of Gaza, with the rest of the enclave under Palestinian administration and limited movement of people and goods. The tally of fatalities since the ceasefire began runs well above 460 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers, underscoring the ongoing risk and the humanitarian toll in the territory. The Gaza Health Ministry in Gaza City, run by Hamas, provides casualty figures that sometimes differ from those issued by the Israeli military or other observers, reflecting the challenge of independent verification in the urban theaters where fighting has shifted over time.
To the northeast, Syria’s government and Kurdish-led forces have been maneuvering within a broader realignment of control in the Hasakah region and surrounding provinces. After a series of rapid advances by government forces, Damascus announced a four-day ceasefire pause with the Syrian Democratic Forces to work toward integrating SDF-held territories into central state institutions. The plan envisions a gradual merging of administrative structures in Hasakah and adjoining areas, while two Kurdish-majority cities could retain a degree of local autonomy if agreement is reached. The negotiations, backed by international actors including the United States and regional players, reflect a broader shift in US policy towar
- Temple Mount Allows Jewish Prayer Page Entry
- Gaza Ceasefire Under Fire as 11 Dead
- Damascus Plans Hasakah Realignment With SDF
The time is now 11:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Today’s update covers the shifting dynamics across the Middle East, with attention to Israeli and Jewish perspectives for an international audience.
In Jerusalem, Israeli police announced a change to Temple Mount policy allowing Jewish visitors to enter the site with a single prayer page prepared in advance and distributed at the entrance by the Temple Mount Yeshiva. Personal prayer books, phylacteries, and other items remain prohibited. The approved page includes instructions for visitors and the Amidah, a central prayer recited three times daily. The policy marks a notable shift from the long-standing ban on Jewish prayer at the site, a cornerstone of the delicate status quo dating to 1967. The move comes weeks after Major General Avshalom Peled took command of the Jerusalem District, a position viewed as closely allied with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has publicly pressed for expanded Jewish prayer rights at the Mount. The Temple Mount Administration welcomed the change and hopes study pages will gain broader approval. The First and Second Temples were constructed on the site, which remains the holiest location in Judaism, and the current understanding balances access with security concerns. Non-Muslims may still visit, but the prohibition on prayer and ritual gestures remains in place. In context, hundreds of Jewish visitors have been detained or arrested over the years for quiet prayers or for carrying religious materials. Jewish ascent figures have risen in recent years, with Beyadenu identifying an ascent total around 68,429 in the latest tallies, up from the prior year’s level, signaling continued interest in maintaining a Jewish connection to the site.
In the Gaza context, the latest developments report a fresh round of violence amid a fragile ceasefire framework. Palestinian medics and officials said that Israeli fire on Wednesday killed 11 Palestinians in Gaza, including three journalists and two children, while the Israeli military described one operation as targeting suspects linked to a Hamas-affiliated drone and those who posed a threat to soldiers. The army said the strike occurred after a drone was observed in the area and the decision was made at the appropriate command level. The reported deaths come as the ceasefire, in effect since last fall, has left Israeli forces in control of approximately half of Gaza, with the rest of the enclave under Palestinian administration and limited movement of people and goods. The tally of fatalities since the ceasefire began runs well above 460 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers, underscoring the ongoing risk and the humanitarian toll in the territory. The Gaza Health Ministry in Gaza City, run by Hamas, provides casualty figures that sometimes differ from those issued by the Israeli military or other observers, reflecting the challenge of independent verification in the urban theaters where fighting has shifted over time.
To the northeast, Syria’s government and Kurdish-led forces have been maneuvering within a broader realignment of control in the Hasakah region and surrounding provinces. After a series of rapid advances by government forces, Damascus announced a four-day ceasefire pause with the Syrian Democratic Forces to work toward integrating SDF-held territories into central state institutions. The plan envisions a gradual merging of administrative structures in Hasakah and adjoining areas, while two Kurdish-majority cities could retain a degree of local autonomy if agreement is reached. The negotiations, backed by international actors including the United States and regional players, reflect a broader shift in US policy towar