Israeli strikes in the northern Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of a Hamas spokesperson and a family of six, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and a Hamas official.
At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government secured a significant legislative victory, furthering plans to overhaul the judiciary, which has sparked controversy and criticism.
The hostilities between Israel and Hamas escalated after Israel broke a ceasefire last week, launching numerous airstrikes across Gaza. These attacks have caused the deaths of over 800 people. Israel has committed to intensifying its military actions unless Hamas agrees to release hostages, disarm, and vacate the region.
Meanwhile, Hamas has stated it will only release the remaining 59 hostages, with 24 believed to be alive, in exchange for a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal.
In other events, Israel hosted a divisive antisemitism conference in Jerusalem, drawing European far-right leaders. The conference, organized by the Israeli government, aimed to combat antisemitism but was largely boycotted by mainstream Jewish leaders due to the controversial participant list. Critics highlight this conference as indicative of a growing relationship between Israel and the European far-right, which some claim still harbors links to antisemitism.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has developed close connections with far-right populist leaders from countries such as Hungary, Brazil, and Argentina, showing influences drawn from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Further compounding tensions, an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon struck a car, resulting in two deaths. Although the affiliation of those killed remains unclear, Israel’s military identified them as Hezbollah members. Another Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Yohmor region reportedly killed three people, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. Israel’s military spokesman confirmed an Israeli strike had killed a Hezbollah official a day earlier.
In a separate incident, Israeli military forces intercepted two long-range missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels before they reached Israeli territory. Air-raid alerts were sounded in various locations, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, although no injuries were reported. Since Israel resumed hostilities last week, a number of rockets have been launched from Gaza and missiles from Yemen, but these have not resulted in any casualties in Israel. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the missile launch, asserting their continued efforts to halt Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israel’s parliament moved forward with a contentious judicial reform, granting the government greater influence in judicial appointments. The reform has generated widespread protests and left the nation deeply divided. Under the new law, the government would have enhanced roles in appointing judges to the Judicial Selection Committee. While supporters argue this grants elected officials more authority, opponents claim it compromises judicial independence. The legislation, however, will not be enacted until the next parliamentary session, with opposition parties promising to repeal it if they regain control.
In the latest series of Israeli strikes, a missile killed a Hamas spokesman in Jabaliya, northern Gaza, while another attack near Gaza City resulted in the deaths of four children and their parents. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that the ongoing conflict has claimed over 50,000 lives, many of whom are women and children, though it doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants. This conflict erupted after a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which left 1,200 people dead in Israel and led to the capture of 251 hostages by Palestinian militants.