HEADLINES Gaza Winter Deepens as Rubble Mounts Amnesty Charges Hamas Crimes ICC Warrants Expand Taiwan Eyes Iron Dome Ties with Israel The time is now 5:09 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report. This is the hourly briefing on developments in the Middle East and related global policy. In Gaza, humanitarian conditions are worsening as winter deepens and displaced families salvage iron bars from ruined buildings to prop up makeshift shelters. UN figures published this week note that the war has generated tens of millions of tonnes of rubble, with the UN Development Programme estimating about 61 million tonnes in Gaza and saying much of it could be cleared over several years with the right conditions. For many families the iron bars are a scarce resource, with a 10 meter rod costing around $15, a heavy burden for households already short of cash. Residents describe daily labor to extract materials as a struggle for food, water, and shelter, underscoring how ordinary life has been upended since the Hamas assault of October 7, 2023 and Israel’s subsequent military campaign. Officially, Israel continues to restrict construction materials into Gaza, citing dual-use concerns aimed at preventing weapons or tunnel construction by Hamas. The broader context remains the Gaza war, in which Israel says it has taken steps to minimize civilian casualties while Hamas and allied groups have used civilian areas for operations, including hostages taken in the October attack. Gazans have been told that enduring the winter conditions is part of an ongoing conflict that has stretched for more than a year, with no final ceasefire in sight. In Washington, policy action continues to reflect long-standing security cooperation with Israel. The defense package passed in the House totals about $900 billion, and it includes provisions intended to bolster Israel’s security, among them roughly $80 million for a joint American–Israeli anti-tunneling program. US officials emphasize that support for Israel’s defense capabilities remains a core element of policy, even as humanitarian concerns in Gaza attract intense international scrutiny and calls for accountability on all sides. Amid a wave of international reporting, Amnesty International released a broad assessment accusing Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups of crimes against humanity tied to the October 7 attack and its aftermath. The report also addresses violations attributed to Palestinian authorities and to Israeli forces, while stopping short of declaring genocide by Israel in Gaza. Israel rejected the genocide charge as false and argued that it has sought to minimize civilian harm, pointing to evacuation orders and other measures. The document marks a renewed push by human-rights groups to examine the actions of all parties in the conflict, including the treatment of hostages and civilians. On the legal front, the International Criminal Court remains at the center of dispute. The court has issued warrants related to Hamas leadership and Israeli officials, and the United States has warned of broad sanctions if the court revokes arrest warrants or expands probes involving American personnel and allies. Washington argues that accountability should be pursued through appropriate channels, while critics say the court’s involvement risks politicizing justice in a volatile region. In other diplomatic developments, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu undertook a discreet visit to Israel in recent weeks as Taipei seeks to deepen defense cooperation, including discussions around a multi-layered air defense concept modeled on Israel’s Iron Dome and other technologies. Israel maintains its One China policy stance, recognizing Beijing and not Taipei, while describing the relationship as pragmatic and beneficial on security and technology cooperation. The visit underscores an evolving web of security considerations in a region where geopolitical lines remain fluid and alliance-building continues along new vectors. Lebanon and southern Lebanon remain a focal point for Israel’s security calculations. Reports from Lebanese media and officials note that disarmament talks with Hezbollah face challenges, and there is speculation of potential Israeli actions if Hezbollah fails to comply with disarmament timelines. American and regional officials caution that large-scale strikes could be possible if weapons are not surrendered, highlighting the fragile balance along the border south of the Litani River. The broader debate in Lebanon and among regional partners centers on how to stabilize the border area while addressing historical grievances and the risk of renewed violence. Within Israel, a small group of civilians crossed into northern Gaza in a symbolic call for permanent Jewish presence in the area. The entry was monitored by the IDF, and the group was returned to Israeli territory. The military stressed that entering a combat zone is dange
