Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-05 at 10:06

HEADLINES
Gaza City Offensive Looms Hostages at Risk
West Bank Violence Surges After Settler Assault
Day 700 Protests Demand Renewed Negotiations

The time is now 6:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the 6:00 AM news update. The Israel Defense Forces have issued evacuation orders as it advances toward a major operation in Gaza City, a maneuver that underscores the high-stakes pressure on both sides as Israel seeks to end Hamas’ control of the coastal enclave and recover remaining hostages. Israeli officials say the mission could take months, and the war’s human toll is mounting, with hostage families pressing for a negotiated deal even as military plans proceed. In Gaza, Hamas and allied factions still hold 48 hostages, including the bodies of some who have died in captivity; 47 of the 251 people abducted on October 7, 2023 are believed still alive, and the hostage issue remains a central obstacle to any sustained ceasefire or broader settlement. On the ground, new evacuation orders come as the government weighs its options for a broader offensive while hostage families warn that an escalation could imperil captives and demand a return to talks that would secure their release under a durable framework.

In the West Bank, violence has flared again. Overnight, armed settlers assaulted a village near the South Hebron Hills, injuring at least 14 Palestinians, including an infant and an elderly couple. The IDF and Israel Police confirmed the incident and launched an investigation, but arrests have been limited in similar cases. The episode highlights the fragile security situation in areas adjacent to Israeli settlements and the persistent cycle of violence that complicates any prospect of quiet across the neighborhood.

Domestically, political and public reactions to the war continue to unfold. A new poll shows the Israeli coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing pressure as Bennett’s party gains momentum in the broader political landscape, complicating decisions at a moment of high security risk. In a separate display of national concern, thousands gathered in cities from Tel Aviv to Haifa to mark Day 700 of the conflict, with demonstrators calling for renewed negotiations and a pathway to bring home the remaining captives. Families of hostages and survivors have pressed for a deal, arguing that a ceasefire framework and a credible plan for hostage returns are essential even as military operations proceed.

Internationally, Syria is signaling a post-conflict rebuilding push. At the Damascus Citadel, a Syrian Development Fund was unveiled, raising about $61 million in pledges, and four cars from the late Bashar al-Assad’s collection—including a Ferrari F50—were auctioned as symbols of reconstruction. The gesture accompanies the broader international scramble to shape a post-war order in the region. In Europe, Finland announced its participation in the France-Saudi backed New York declaration supporting a peaceful resolution and a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian question, signaling continuing Western engagement with a negotiated path to peace even as fighting endures. The broader diplomatic environment remains unsettled, with various capitals weighing how to balance security guarantees for Israel with prospects for a durable settlement.

On the hostage front, Hamas released new video material featuring hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal and another captive, in a propaganda clip dated late August. The clip underscores the group’s ongoing messaging about captives and the endurance of the war environment, even as negotiations stall and Israel weighs military options. Families of the missing continue to press for a negotiated deal, arguing that time is critical for the captives’ welfare and safety.

In Washington, the policy framework tied to the war and...