HEADLINES
Greta Thunberg Deported Amid Flotilla Detention
Two Years After Oct 7, Hostages Remain
Israeli Strikes Neutralize Militant Cell Near Gaza

The time is now 2:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In the latest developments from the region and beyond, hundreds in Tunis gathered to denounce the detention of Global Sumud Flotilla activists, including twenty five Tunisians, as some detainees began returning home. The flotilla episode and accompanying protests have drawn international attention to Gaza-related activism and Israel’s naval interceptions. At the same time, the Global Sumud Flotilla network indicated that activist Greta Thunberg is expected to be deported to Greece after being detained by Israeli authorities during the voyage, underscoring the continuing international flashpoints surrounding humanitarian actions at sea.

From Jerusalem, the government reaffirmed its commitment to the release of all hostages held in Gaza. In communications with families, officials stressed ongoing efforts to secure their safe return and noted ongoing liaison with the families to keep them informed of developments. The public stance emphasizes the priority placed on hostage recovery as a cornerstone of the security equation, and frames it within a broader regional effort to restore stability.

Two years after the October seventh assault that reshaped Israeli discourse and policy, public debate and official reflection remain intense. An editorial marking the anniversary urged society not to forget the reckoning of that day, which historians and witnesses describe as a stark confrontation with existential threat. The Defence Ministry released figures showing that one thousand one hundred fifty-two Israeli soldiers had fallen since October seventh, with more than six thousand five hundred family members joining the nation’s circle of bereavement; more than forty percent of those fallen were under twenty-one years old, underscoring the human cost of ongoing hostilities and the demands placed on families and communities.

In Tel Aviv, two years on from the Hamas massacre at the Nova festival, survivors gathered to remember and seek healing. Dozens of attendees offered testimony about lives irrevocably changed, including Almog Meir Jan, who reflected that this tragedy could have been him, and the mother of Shirel Golan, who described the tragedy of a daughter who “chose to join the murdered.” The event also highlighted the Dalal family’s Sukkah of Hope, which remains in place as they wait for their son Guy, abducted from the Nova event and still held in Gaza. The gathering underscored the enduring pain of families while pointing to the persistent pressure on negotiators to secure the release of the 48 captives identified two years earlier.

In military operations tied to the Gaza frontier, the Israeli Air Force carried out precision strikes directed at militants believed to pose an immediate threat to troops operating in the Gaza Strip. The Defense Forces stated that one militant cell armed with explosives and mortars was neutralized, while another group launched a mortar projectile toward Israeli forces, injuring one soldier lightly and prompting medical evacuation. Air weaponry then targeted and destroyed the militant infrastructure that supplied the attack, with follow-up strikes aimed at eliminating other immediate threats in the area. The forces described a rapid sequence of actions intended to close gaps in the defense and deter imminent assaults on military and civilian personnel in the vicinity.

In regional diplomacy, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atty commented in an interview that the handover of weapons by Hamas is a matter to be addressed within a Palestinian framework, signaling continued emphasis on a negotiated approach to disarmament within Palestinian political structures. The minister also said that the prime guarantor of any plan to end the conflict, including those proposed by the United States, remains the American president, underscoring a belief that US leadership remains essential to realizing security, stability, and peace in the region.

On the broader geopolitical stage, Reuters reported that China conducted a substantial online engagement campaign intended to undermine the ties between the United States and the Philippines, including influencing public opinion in the Philippines through a network of accounts and paid propagandists. The report highlights how external powers seek to shape perceptions and policy in alliances that bear on regional security dynamics in Asia and, indirectly, the Middle East through the broader web of strategic interests.

Within domestic and global Jewish life, concerns about antisemitism and its rising visibility outside Israel continued to draw attention. Italian scholars and community leaders warned of a troubling spike in anti-Jewish sentiment and violence in Europe, calling for vigilance as demonstrations and political rhetoric around the Gaza conflict intensify. The warnings stress the importance of balancing free expression with the protection of minority communities amid a charged international environment.

Names and reminders of the abducted and missing continued to anchor the attention of Israeli families and their supporters. At the prime ministry entrance in Jerusalem, family representatives recited the names of forty-eight hostages and the abducted woman, underscoring the persistent demand for action to secure their return and to translate diplomatic rhetoric into concrete progress toward a ceasefire and release agreement aligned with the Trump administration’s declared policy of pursuing peace through strength, with close coordination between Washington and Jerusalem.

As the hour closes, the overarching pattern remains clear: coordinated security efforts and diplomatic outreach strive to prevent escalation while keeping hostage recovery front and center; activists abroad and communities at risk watch these moves closely, hoping for tangible steps toward stability. The United States, under President Donald Trump’s approach described as peace through strength, continues to emphasize a unified US-Israel effort to deter threats while seeking a durable settlement that preserves security for Israeli civilians and supports humanitarian needs in Gaza and beyond. The international landscape remains tense, but governments and families alike insist on accountability, clear communication, and renewed momentum toward a sustained path to peace.

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/middle-east/article-869574
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-869575
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-869558
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-869566
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1238899
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sy0uv0xpgl
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1238895
https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/sjcllrxaxe
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1238886
https://toi.li/Mc7OpR
https://toi.li/zF9rhk
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1238882
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-869572
https://www.timesofisrael.com/spotlight/fighting-holocaust-fatigue-with-anita-friedman/
https://t.me/newssil/173322
https://t.me/newssil/173321
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1238876
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1238874
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1238873
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1238872