HEADLINES - Israel braces for 2026 election cyber threat - Hamas refuses to disarm, Gaza ceasefire stalls - Iran summons Jewish MP over Israel posts The time is now 5:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report. Good morning. This is your hourly update on developments shaping the Middle East, Israel’s security environment, and related global dynamics. The Israeli economy and democracy are bracing for heightened digital risk, as the state’s top comptroller warns that foreign interference could threaten the integrity of the 2026 elections. Officials say agencies are not adequately prepared for online meddling, with Iran and other actors increasingly probing digital systems tied to the electoral process. The call goes out for urgent steps by government bodies and the central election authority to shore up defenses and guard public confidence as Israel enters a year of political campaigning. In Tehran, tensions continue at home and abroad, as Iranian authorities summoned a Jewish member of parliament amid a broader campaign over social media activity linked to Israel. The legislator was urged to delete Israel-related content and to unfollow IDF and other channels deemed hostile, underscoring how diplomatic frictions and domestic security concerns increasingly intersect with everyday political life for Jewish communities inside Iran. The Gaza ceasefire remains at a critical juncture. Hamas has signaled it will not disarm while Israeli troops remain in Gaza, suggesting a long-term truce or a mechanism for arming and storing weapons as a condition of any withdrawal. Israel, for its part, appears unlikely to reduce its presence in the territory without a credible disarmament arrangement from Hamas and assurance of security for civilians, highlighting the Catch-22 at the heart of the current pause in fighting. Cyber competition is rising on the global stage as well. China is being viewed more openly as a cyber threat capable of leveraging digital capabilities to project influence and disrupt Western systems, a shift from earlier assessments that placed Moscow at the top of cyber threat rankings. The changing landscape has security experts urging vigilance and coordinated defenses across allied networks. Within Israel’s political landscape, public debate is intensifying over National Service exemptions and security policy. A leading figure indicated that his first acts would be to cancel a long-standing Haredi exemption and to push back on a controversial Oct. 7 probe, reflecting ongoing domestic tensions between security imperatives and political coalitions. Legal proceedings in Israel continue to unfold in the high-profile Case 4000, with hearings opening in Tel Aviv and ongoing questioning that reverberates beyond the courtroom into national discourse about media influence and governance. The trial remains a focal point for observers assessing ethics, media relations, and the responsibilities of political leadership. Israel’s cyber security posture is taking on new urgency. The country’s cyber chief has warned that Iran has mounted repeated attempts to target Israeli citizens and critical infrastructure, including parking and road-camera networks, as part of broader efforts to map and threaten key figures and operations. This assessment comes as security services emphasize the importance of rapid modernization and deterrence in the cyber domain. Regional and international dynamics continue to shape the Gaza equation. Qatar and Turkey—longtime backers of Hamas—are examining roles in post-war reconstruction, a process experts say could potentially affect Hamas’s operational capacity if not carefully structured. The international community watches how reconstruction plans interact with security guarantees and disarmament commitments. United States policy and security funding are shifting in ways that could influence Israel’s defense posture. A US defense spending bill reportedly reallocates funds from Iron Dome to countering ballistic missiles, a shift that reflects perceptions of evolving threats from Hamas and Hezbollah versus broader regional capabilities such as Iranian and Houthi missiles. The move underscores how US quarterly policy choices can ripple through Israel’s risk calculations and defense priorities. On the ground, Israeli forces continued operations near the Green Line, uncovering residue of a rocket cache and other materials linked to terrorist activity in Samaria. In a related development, security services foiled an imminent attack in central Gaza by targeting a Hamas operative preparing to threaten Israeli troops, highlighting ongoing counterterrorism efforts amid a fragile ceasefire. Diplomatic outreach and regional ties persist. Bolivia announced a renewal of diplomatic ties with Israel, including visa policy adjustments to facilitate travel, signaling a thaw in some bilateral relations. In Be’eri, the kibbutz near the Gaza border, residents voted to d
