Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-09 at 20:06

HEADLINES
Fragile Gaza ceasefire tests regional diplomacy
Israel strikes Hamas leaders in Doha
Lebanon plans disarm Hezbollah south of Litani

The time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the 4:00 PM update. The uneasy ceasefire between Israel and Iran remains fragile as fighting and diplomacy unfold across Gaza, Lebanon and regional capitals, with international mediation trying to keep channels open even as the danger of a broader confrontation lingers. In Gaza, Hamas’s overall capacity to launch large-scale operations has been diminished by ongoing Israeli military pressure and years of blockade, but the group continues to hold hostages and remains a factor in any ceasefire discussions, complicating efforts to end the war. In Doha and surrounding talks, Israel confirmed a strike against Hamas leaders who were reported to be meeting in the Qatari capital; Hamas officials said the operation failed and reported casualties among senior figures, while Israel asserted it hit leaders abroad who orchestrated attacks and hostage campaigns. Qatar condemned the attack as a violation of its sovereignty and mediation efforts, and the United States urged careful handling of hostilities in allied territory while keeping faith with negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage deals. Washington’s position drew a varied response in the region, with President Trump expressing sorrow over the strike’s location but indicating that eliminating Hamas leadership remains a legitimate objective if it can be done without undermining broader efforts toward peace.

Turkey’s president condemned the operation as a destabilizing move and warned that it risks widening the conflict, while Jordan and Egypt urged restraint and adherence to international norms as mediation efforts press on. The strike came amid discussions about a new US-backed ceasefire framework intended to secure the release of hostages and to set the ground for a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a plan Hamas has been weighing in talks, and which regional actors have publicly described as a potential breakthrough or a test of trust depending on its specifics. In Lebanon, the government said it plans to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani within three months as part of a broader effort to reestablish the state’s monopoly on armed force along the border with Israel. Hezbollah and allied Shiite factions have warned against rapid disarmament and have pressed for timelines that suit their interests, complicating a unified Lebanese approach to security south of the border. Israel has said it will withdraw from Lebanese areas only once Hezbollah lays down its weapons, while continuing to counter any rearmament efforts.

In the West Bank, Israeli security forces intensified operations following a deadly attack in Jerusalem, with authorities canceling hundreds of Palestinian work permits and demolishing homes as part of a broader security response—a move that security officials say is aimed at deterring further attacks but has drawn criticism from rights groups and security chiefs alike over its broader impact on stability and daily life for Palestinians.

Domestically in Israel, the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee spent several days examining revisions to the Haredi draft law, including a proposal to lower the exemption age from 26, a debate that highlights the tension between security requirements and the social and political dynamics of the ultra-Orthodox community within Israeli society.

Internationally, antisemitic incidents drew attention from London to other capitals after five Jewish sites in Golders Green were defaced with excrement in a single week, prompting police investigations and renewed vigilance by communities and security volunteers. The episode underscored a persistent global challenge confronting Jewish communities...