Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-06 at 11:07

HEADLINES
Gaza Death Toll Rises, Hostages Still Held
Caucasus Link Bypasses Iran, Shifts Energy Routes
Gaza Postwar Plan Technocrat Rule Disarm Hamas

The time is now 7:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the 7:00 AM update. The region remains in a state of unequal, volatile balance as actors face the hard realities of a protracted conflict and the search for a more durable path to security and stability.

On the broader regional stage, observers note an uneasy, fragile pause in the wider conflict involving Israel, Iran and allied proxies. While a formal, lasting ceasefire remains elusive, international channels are pressing for restraint and continued dialogue, even as military positions and political calculations tighten across the Gaza front and neighboring theaters. In related regional context, attention is turning to Iran’s broader influence efforts in the South Caucasus and nearby corridors. An analysis circulating this morning highlights a potential Azerbaijan–Nakhchivan link that, proponents say, could bypass Iran’s influence on critical energy, transport and communications routes. The piece underscores how such shifts would alter the strategic calculus for Tehran and its regional partners as Western powers weigh leverage, sanctions and diplomacy in pursuit of a more favorable balance of power.

In Gaza, the humanitarian toll continues to mount and the military realities on the ground remain perilous. Palestinian health authorities report 68 people killed and 362 wounded in the last 24 hours in the Gaza Strip, with totals since the start of the war at about 64,368 dead and 162,000 wounded. Independent verification remains challenging in a densely populated conflict zone. In the city itself, Israeli forces say they have targeted high-rise structures used by Hamas for intelligence gathering and command-and-control purposes, part of a broader effort to degrade the militant network’s capabilities ahead of possible further operations. The Israeli military has repeatedly warned residents of impending actions in and around Gaza City and adjacent neighborhoods, stressing steps to minimize civilian harm, including alerts, precise munitions, aerial observations and real-time intelligence.

Within this harsh operational reality are the human stories that animate the political calculus. A remaining group of hostages—about 48 people believed to be held by Hamas—are still in captivity, with at least 26 confirmed dead and some two dozen whose fate remains most concerning to families and officials. The families’ campaign to secure their loved ones has intensified in recent days, including protests in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. They are pressing political leaders to secure a ceasefire and the release of all hostages, while fear and anger animate public demonstrations in cities across the country. In a powerful and troubling development, at least one mother said she had been told her child’s life was in immediate danger, underscoring the human stakes behind political debates and military calculations. Public sentiment on the hostage issue remains deeply polarized, with a broad call for action that some officials say complicates negotiations and tactical choices on the ground.

The political dimension of the hostage crisis continues to evolve alongside battlefield developments. In a notable public exchange, former US President Donald Trump suggested that some of the roughly 20 hostages believed still to be alive could have recently died, a claim that drew swift reactions from host families and Israeli officials who stressed the need for careful verification and a path to freedom. Israel’s own representatives have refrained from comment on Trump’s statements while confirming that the government remains committed to achieving the return of all hostages and an end to the war on terms it deems...