HEADLINES Gaza Child Malnutrition Surges, Ceasefire Fragile Israel Regularizes Six Outposts as Towns Iran Weighs Saturday Fuel Price Hike The time is now 1:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report. At one o’clock in the afternoon, this is the hour’s news update on developments shaping the region and the perspectives that matter to an international audience. Israeli police have opened an investigation into a possible murder after human remains were found in a cistern near Beit Guvrin, with investigators also examining whether the remains belong to a Jerusalem resident reported missing earlier this week. In Tehran, financial pressures are mounting as the government contemplates a Saturday fuel price hike after repeatedly delaying the measure over fears it could trigger unrest reminiscent of protests in 2019. The move adds to a broader picture of economic strain that some officials have warned could ripple across the region. Across the Gaza border, the United Nations Children’s Fund says a shockingly high number of Gaza’s children remain acutely malnourished even after the ceasefire, with UNICEF representatives noting that many families lack access to essential foods and services. Humanitarian conditions persist as the pause in hostilities continues to be fragile, with aid access and living conditions lingering as major concerns for families in the territory. Looking at the ceasefire framework that has been touted as a path toward a broader settlement, Hamas officials have argued that phase two cannot proceed while what they describe as Israeli violations persist. In their view, this position complicates efforts backed by international actors to move beyond the initial phase, which aims to secure the release of captives and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Proponents of the plan in Washington and other capitals say any progression would require concessions by both sides and a credible mechanism to monitor implementation. On the ground near the border with Syria, experts emphasize the need for a clearer policy direction as the region’s security picture grows more complex. A year after the Assad regime’s fall, questions remain about population shifts and displacement in parts of the frontier region, with Israel seeking to balance security interests with humanitarian and diplomatic considerations as tensions in the broader area remain notable. Israel also announced logistical steps in the West Bank, with border police and troops evacuating four illegal outposts in the areas of Gush Etzion, Samaria, and Binyamin following a government directive to clear fourteen such sites. The move comes as security and settlement policies continue to occupy a central place in the domestic political agenda. In domestic and international policy matters linked to security and public life, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations as a foreign terrorist organization, arguing ties to Hamas. CAIR rejects the designation as unfounded and unconstitutional. The United States government has not designated CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization, though discussions about related groups and channels of foreign influence have been part of a wider policy debate in Washington and other capitals. Across the arena of regional diplomacy, Washington is pressing for high-level discussions among regional leaders, including a possible Netanyahu–Sisi meeting, while tying talks about a major Leviathan gas deal with Egypt to broader security and energy considerations. In Israel, Energy Minister Eli Cohen has signaled concerns about domestic price guarantees, though officials say talks with Egypt are narrowing gaps as the two countries explore energy cooperation that could reshape regional energy markets. In Yemen, the Southern Transitional Council has asserted control over large portions of the south, including eastern Hadhramaut and Mahra, signaling a significant shift in power dynamics that could affect the strategic Red Sea corridor and the broader balance among Yemen’s competing factions. The Houthis remain an influential force in the north, and regional actors monitor how the South’s advance may influence the war’s trajectory and international efforts to stabilize the country. From Damascus, initial reports indicate explosions at Damascus International Airport, with details still developing as authorities assess the situation. The event comes amid a region-wide pause in open conflict, but with ongoing tensions and sporadic incidents that draw international attention to the stability of Syria’s infrastructure and governance. In other regional commentary, Turkish President Erdogan has urged patience with the Palestinian cause, framing his comments within a broader regional narrative about sovereignty and statehood. European observers continue to weigh how shifting alliances and policy debates in Washington may affect the trajectory of
