Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-08 at 19:06

HEADLINES Khashoggi widow files France suit over Pegasus Ben-Gvir wears noose pin at death-penalty hearing Trump seeks Gaza disarmament by Christmas The time is now 2:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report. This is your 2:00 PM update on the Middle East and related developments around the world. Archaeologists in Jerusalem have unearthed a 40-meter-long city wall segment dating to the Maccabean period, a discovery described as one of the longest and most intact of its type found in the city, standing about five meters high yet now less than half its original height. In Israeli domestic politics, a heated committee hearing on a bill that would expand the use of the death penalty for terrorists drew international attention as far-right lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir wore a noose-shaped pin, a move that drew sharp condemnation from opposition leaders and raised questions about constitutional limits and the seriousness of the policy. Supporters argued the measure would serve as a deterrent; critics warned that broad or mandatory provisions could erode due process and complicate international legal obligations. On the security front, the IDF confirmed it recovered the weapon of Captain Daniel Perez from a booby-trapped site in northern Gaza. Perez was killed on October 7, 2023, during Hamas incursions, and his remains were returned to Israel on October 13, 2025 as part of ongoing hostilities arrangements. In related security reporting, Mossad chief David Barnea has been involved in rebuilding working ties with Qatar after an Israeli attempt to target Hamas officials in Doha, a move viewed as part of broader efforts to stabilize regional intelligence channels. In the field, a Haredi teenager sustained a head injury in a hit-and-run incident during protests in Bnei Brak, with several arrests reported as authorities investigated the circumstances. Investigations also progress in the Sde Teiman leak case, as the government seeks to appoint a special investigator; officials are examining whether senior figures misled the attorney general or the High Court, while the process to appoint an external overseer faces court-imposed hurdles. A watchdog report in the United States alleges that CAIR’s political arm has operated without full legal authority across many states, highlighting registration and regulatory questions tied to advocacy activity. In domestic political affairs, Shas leaders warned they might oppose the 2026 state budget over an exclusion of haredi food vouchers, with implications for parliamentary stability if a budget is not approved by the end of March. International legal considerations continue to unfold around the Khashoggi case, as his widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, filed a legal complaint in France accusing Saudi authorities of leveraging Israeli spyware to access her phones in the period leading up to her husband’s murder. Pegasus, software attributed to the Israel-based NSO Group, features prominently in the discussion, with Western and European authorities having previously restricted NSO’s activities. The accusation comes amid broader debates over surveillance technology and its reach into political and human rights concerns. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned an Israeli raid on the East Jerusalem compound of UNRWA, urging Israel to preserve the inviolability of UN premises and to refrain from further action regarding UNRWA facilities. MSF, Doctors Without Borders, says conditions remain as hard as they have ever been for Gaza’s medical teams and patients despite a near two-month truce, noting shortages of medicines and supplies, ongoing risk to health facilities, and calls for greater humanitarian access. In Gaza and the wider region, reports describe ongoing humanitarian pressures and a continuing push by aid agencies for more access to convoys and crossings, even as Israel has been cautious about expanding the flow of aid through pathways such as the Rafah crossing. Separately, a cross-border incident in Syria near Beit Jen left six Israeli soldiers wounded and casualties reported on the Syrian side, underscoring the volatile and multi-front nature of the conflict environment. Iranian officials have told lawmakers that Tehran has resumed large-scale ballistic missile production, a development that Israeli authorities have highlighted in briefings to lawmakers as part of ongoing concerns about the region’s balance of power. In Washington, US officials say President Trump remains intent on moving to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan by Christmas, a plan that envisions Hamas disarmament, a technocratic Palestinian body managing Gaza, and a multinational force; Israeli leaders have signaled caution about the feasibility of a large international security arrangement but continue to engage with US diplomacy. US envoy Mike Waltz recently discussed stability in the West Bank with Jordan’s king and thanked Jordan for fac