HEADLINES
- Trump warns Hamas Sunday deadline potential operation
- Israel halts all 42 Sumud flotilla vessels
- Elizabeth Tsurkov thanks US in first statement

The time is now 12:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

The ceasefire dynamics in the region remain fragile as Washington, Jerusalem, and their partners press for a path to peace through a coordinated pause in hostilities, while all sides prepare for potential contingency actions. In Gaza, President Donald Trump has issued a stark ultimatum to Hamas, saying the group must accept his Gaza peace deal by the announced deadline or face a comprehensive response supported by Israel and Arab partners. The ultimatum terminology is blunt: if the agreement is not reached by Sunday evening in Washington, extraordinary measures, including a possible major military operation, could follow. The American administration has framed the plan as a pathway to end the violence while preserving civilian protections and hostage considerations, even as Hamas continues to hold captives and as international observers watch for any shift in Hamas’s position.

In parallel, the situation surrounding Israeli security and hostage diplomacy has visible momentum. Elizabeth Tsurkov, the Russian-Israeli academic who was held for 903 days in Iraq, issued her first public statement since her release, thanking the United States for coordinating her return and noting the essential roles of US officials and Israeli medical teams. Her message, delivered in multiple languages, underscores the United States’ ongoing involvement in hostage responses and regional stabilization efforts. In Gaza, Israel reports that it intercepted the final vessel in the Global Sumud flotilla, part of a humanitarian effort to challenge the blockade. Israeli naval units said they halted all 42 vessels, which carried aid and volunteers, though Israel has emphasized security concerns tied to border control and the potential for weaponized shipments.

Hamas and its allies confront a complicated strategic calculus as the group grapples with how a peace proposal might affect its military capabilities, political legitimacy, and regional standing. Analysts have noted Hamas leaders face a dilemma: accepting a framework that would require disarmament and acceptance of a new security architecture versus enduring potential rounds of fighting and renewed international pressure. The discourse around the plan also intersects with hostage dynamics and the broader regional effort to prevent a wider confrontation.

On the ground in southern Gaza, Israel’s armed forces released details of a recent operation near Khan Younis in which a Hamas cell of roughly twenty militants was neutralized as they sought to stage a strike in a humanitarian corridor. The Israel Defense Forces said the assault team was uncovered and eliminated with air support, and that the militants attempted to shield themselves using civilians as human shields. The army stressed that the operation was aimed at preventing attacks that would threaten civilians in Gaza and neighboring communities in southern Israel, and noted that the fighting occurred amid the ongoing displacement of residents from Gaza City and surrounding areas—an estimated hundreds of thousands have relocated to safer southern parts of Gaza and toward border towns.

Regional diplomacy continues to evolve as Turkey confirms it will back regional peace efforts but insists that Israel must halt offensive actions to allow negotiations to succeed. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with United States President Donald Trump, expressing support for the peace tracks while urging Israel to pause hostilities to maximize the chances of success. The conversation reflects the broader balance Washington seeks: sustaining pressure on Hamas while maintaining channels with regional partners to manage escalation risk and sustain a path toward a durable settlement.

Europe and the United Kingdom are watching developments closely as well. In London, the Church of England, led by the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, underscored a commitment to confronting antisemitism and safeguarding Jewish communities in the wake of a deadly terror attack outside a Manchester synagogue. Mullally’s appointment places a significant emphasis on safeguarding and moral leadership within a religious institution that spans millions of adherents around the world, and her stance signals a broader willingness within Western religious institutions to address security and safeguarding concerns in the wake of violence linked to the Gaza conflict.

In the political arena, a Syrian parliamentary candidate with a deeply personal history—Henry Hamra, a Syrian Jew who fled to the United States as a teen in 1992—is running for a seat representing Damascus. If elected, Hamra would be the first Jewish member of Syria’s parliament since 1947, a development occurring in the wake of Assad’s ouster and the reconfiguration of Syria’s domestic political order. His campaign platform emphasizes unity among Syrians, protection of Syrian heritage, and cooperation with American Syrians to ease sanctions, including the Caesar Act, though Syria’s political system remains tightly controlled and outcomes are influenced by powers in Damascus and abroad. Officials have noted that negotiations continue about regional defense arrangements with neighboring states and potential normalization steps, even as the country works to stabilize internally and manage minority communities.

Across the Atlantic, Ireland’s government has signaled a willingness to exert pressure on the corporate sector to temper its stance on the Gaza conflict, reflecting a cautious European posture that weighs human rights concerns against economic and diplomatic realities. Ireland hosts the European headquarters of several major US corporations, complicating the balancing act between principled critique of policy and practical engagement with multinational business interests. In Italy and Libya, ongoing scrutiny surrounds a migration pact as rescue operations at sea report direct confrontations with Libyan authorities, including reported firearm exchanges during humanitarian missions. The international response to migration and security in the central Mediterranean continues to shape policy debates in European capitals.

In the United States, President Trump’s rhetoric continues to dominate headlines, with repeated warnings to Hamas about consequences should the group reject the terms of the peace plan. The messaging, delivered through Truth Social and other channels, casts the potential deal as a decisive moment for the region, framed as peace if Hamas accepts, and catastrophe if it does not. American officials emphasize the plan’s aim to end the conflict while safeguarding civilian life, hostages, and regional stability, and they stress that cooperation with Israel and Arab partners is essential to moving forward.

Security concerns also extend to other theaters. In the United Kingdom, authorities remain vigilant following the Manchester attack, and the new Archbishop’s focus on safeguarding and anti-extremism resonates with international efforts to prevent antisemitism and violence against Jewish communities. In Germany and elsewhere, intelligence and security services continue to monitor potential Hamas-linked networks and other extremist activities, reflecting a broad, coordinated approach to counterterrorism that transcends borders.

There are other ongoing developments worth noting: Mossad reportedly contributed to German authorities’ efforts to disrupt a Hamas-linked cell in Berlin, underscoring the transnational dimension of anti-terror cooperation. In the broader Gaza context, reporting continues to indicate sustained displacement, with hundreds of thousands of residents moving south as the humanitarian situation remains precarious and aid delivery faces complex security constraints. Additionally, reports from the region highlight the evolving relationship between Israeli and Syrian authorities as new political actors emerge within Syria and as defense and security arrangements are discussed in parallel with broader stabilization efforts.

Looking ahead, observers expect a continued push-and-pull between hard security measures and diplomatic initiatives, with the urgency of hostage releases, civilian protection, and humanitarian access driving the tempo of talks. The United States, under its current leadership, emphasizes a peace-through-strength approach that aligns with Israel’s security objectives while seeking to prevent a wider regional conflagration. The coming days will test whether Hamas, Israel, and their international partners can translate this framework into credible, verifiable reductions in violence and a pathway toward durable stability for civilians on all sides.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-869345
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-869344
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-869343
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-869341<b