Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-06 at 03:06

HEADLINES
US in deep talks on Gaza hostages
Hamas blocks Gaza evacuations civilians at risk
Scholars urge IAGS to rescind genocide claim

The time is now 11:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the late-evening news update. It is 11:00 PM. The region remains in a state of high alert and high politics as diplomatic efforts, battlefield realities, and global policy shifts continue to shape the days after October 7 and the ongoing Gaza war.

A fragile pause and regional pressures continue to define security in and around Israel. The broader conflict remains in focus as leaders and analysts assess how any uneasy equilibrium between Israel and Iran, and Iran’s network of proxies, might hold or fray. In Gaza, attention centers on the humanitarian and hostage dimensions of the war. The number of hostages and their messages continue to draw international scrutiny and domestic concern. President Donald Trump has signaled that the United States is in “very deep negotiations” with Hamas regarding the hostages, while emphasizing the heavy human toll and the families awaiting certainty. Of those officially listed as living, 19 have released some form of signal from captivity, with 22 declared living and the families seeking clarity or closure on their loved ones.

On the ground in Gaza, there is growing emphasis on the dynamics Hamas sets in motion to influence civilian life. A letter from the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration explains that Hamas has blocked civil workers from evacuating northern Gaza, portraying this as another example of exploiting civilians as human shields and prioritizing its strategic aims over residents’ safety. In parallel, observers continue to assess the scale and scope of Hamas’ military capabilities as the war evolves, with international analysts debating how the conflict’s legal and humanitarian dimensions intersect with ongoing hostilities and hostage concerns.

The debate within the scholarly and international-law communities over Israel’s actions in Gaza also remains highly visible. More than 170 professionals in genocide studies, international law, and related fields have urged the International Association of Genocide Scholars to rescind its resolution asserting genocide by Israel in Gaza. The critics, including noted historians and jurists, argue that the resolution misstates legal standards and risks political distortion of a very complex conflict. They contend that self-defense and military necessity must be consistently distinguished from intent to destroy a people, warning that narrowing or redefining genocide to serve ideological aims can undermine established law and memory of past atrocities. The IAGS has defended its openness and approach, while acknowledging scrutiny and controversy over the resolution’s methods and citations. The friction over this issue underscores how academic discourse, public perception, and policy intersect in real time as events unfold.

In parallel, a broader set of stories from around the world sheds light on how the conflict’s echo travels beyond the battlefield. A cultural moment drew attention to Gaza as a Gaza girl’s pleas, voiced through Hind Rajab, resonated at a Venice festival, highlighting the human face of the conflict in creative form. In the realm of diplomacy and culture, calls over Israel’s security policies and its friends’ responses continue to ripple through international forums and media. In the entertainment world, Hollywood figures and audiences have debated public support for Israel, with some prominent voices defending the right to express diverse views, while others urge restraint or reconsideration of appearances and platforms.

Domestically in Israel, life continues with its everyday pressures and legal concerns. A notable local tragedy was reported in Tel Aviv, where a motorcycle rider...