HEADLINES Bipartisan US supports Israel, warns extremism Phase two Gaza plan: governance board eyed Ceasefire frays as Jabalia strike sparks The time is now 3:09 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report. From Washington to the region, the news today centers on ongoing diplomacy, security concerns, and the shifting shapes of alliances that frame the Middle East as a place where quiet steps and loud clashes alike carry consequences far beyond borders. In Washington, two senior US senators said support for Israel remains strong and bipartisan. Senator James Risch and Senator Jacky Rosen rejected any claim that congressional backing has eroded, warning that extremist voices are trying to politicize Israel. Their remarks underscore the enduring alignment in Washington around Israel’s security needs and its defense against threats in the region, even as lawmakers debate how best to support stability and humanitarian considerations in Gaza and the surrounding area. Back in Israel, diplomacy is advancing along multiple tracks. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Sa’ar met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, where they discussed developments in the Middle East, opportunities across Latin America and Africa, and the effort to strengthen ties with new partners. Sa’ar highlighted renewed cooperation with Bolivia and noted ongoing attention to the International Criminal Court and the broader question of international legal actions affecting Israel’s posture and security. The two officials also addressed the Gaza situation, with an emphasis on ensuring that Hamas is disarmed in line with longstanding US and Israeli objectives. Across the Atlantic, the effort to map a Gaza strategy is moving into its second phase. US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said he expects announcements soon on components of the plan’s second phase, including a Board of Peace led by President Trump, and a technocratic Palestinian governance mechanism intended to manage water, energy, and basic services in Gaza. Waltz stressed that Hamas must go and spoke of a multi-layer effort to prevent a return to a cycle in which reconstruction funds could be diverted to weapons and further fighting. In Jerusalem, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office confirmed a meeting with Trump at the end of December, as Washington and its partners work toward advancing a plan that envisions an international stabilization force and a governance framework to accompany a security transition in Gaza. In the Gaza Strip, violence and humanitarian concerns persist. Israeli forces reported the elimination of a Palestinian terror operative who crossed the ceasefire line near Jabalia in the north, as Gaza authorities and Palestinian media reported casualties on the Hamas side. The ceasefire arrangement remains fragile, with sporadic clashes along the Yellow Line and ongoing disputes over hostages and the timing of any broader move to phase two of the plan. The international community remains focused on preventing a relapse into wider conflict while seeking to sustain services and basic needs for civilians in Gaza. Along the Lebanon border, UN observers reported that Israeli forces fired in the vicinity of their patrols, prompting formal concerns from UNIFIL about potential violations of security arrangements. Israel has not yet commented publicly on the claim. The episode dovetails with a long-running dispute over Hezbollah’s buildup and the broader question of how the region’s multiple fronts will be managed as external mediators press for stability and disarmament. In the West Bank, authorities approved construction of 764 new housing units in three settlements—Hashmonaim, Beitar Illit, and Givat Ze’ev. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the move a strategic step to strengthen settlement life and security, drawing immediate criticism from the Palestinian Authority, which described expansion as provocative and a driver of conflict. The decision comes amid a broader context of heightened tensions and violence linked to olive harvest season and settler activity, which has drawn international attention and domestic political debate about how best to balance settler needs with prospects for peace and a future Palestinian state. On the security diplomacy front, a number of parallel channels are alive. An overture connecting Israel’s security concerns with regional realignment was evident in reports that Tony Blair’s candidacy to lead a Gaza peace council was blocked, with Nickolay Mladenov viewed as a top alternative mediator. As part of the same landscape, discussions about potential arrangements to disarm Hamas and manage post-conflict governance continue to shape expectations for the next steps in Gaza and broader regional stability. Beyond the immediate conflict zone, the region’s cultural and strategic ties continue to evolve. Israel’s collaboration with NASA was highlighted as a landmark agreement designed to
