The IDF has demolished the home of Mahmoud Abed in Halhul, West Bank, who was responsible for the July 2025 Gush Etzion attack that killed Israeli security guard Shalev Zevuloni. The operation involved the Etzion Brigade and Yahalom unit, aligning with Israel's policy of deterring terrorism.
The Israeli government has approved a multi-year plan to rehabilitate northern cities like Kiryat Shmona, Shlomi, and Metula, which have been heavily impacted by the war. The plan includes an immediate allocation of NIS 400 million, with a broader commitment of billions more in investment for housing, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic development. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led the decision, emphasizing the government's commitment to the region's recovery.
Israeli airstrikes on Saturday, January 31, 2026, resulted in the deaths of at least 30 Palestinians, including women and children, across Gaza. The attacks, which hit an apartment building, a tent camp, and a police station, followed Israeli accusations of new truce violations by Hamas, further jeopardizing a fragile ceasefire.
South Africa has expelled Israel's chargé d'affaires, Ariel Seidman, citing violations of diplomatic norms and 'insulting attacks' on President Cyril Ramaphosa. In a reciprocal move, Israel declared South Africa's senior diplomat, Shaun Edward Byneveldt, persona non grata, escalating an already strained relationship marked by South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the ICJ.
The Israeli military has acknowledged the Gaza Health Ministry's casualty figures as broadly accurate, a significant reversal after years of dismissing them as 'Hamas propaganda.' A senior official confirmed approximately 70,000 Palestinian deaths since October 2023, though the breakdown of combatants and civilians remains under review. This shift comes despite previous Israeli rejections of the data.
Palestinian health authorities in the Gaza Strip have announced that the cumulative death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression has reached 71,667 martyrs and 171,434 wounded since October 7, 2023. These figures were reported in late January 2026, with many victims still believed to be under rubble.
A coalition of academics, 'Academia for Democracy,' has petitioned Israel's High Court to prevent Police Chief Danny Levy and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from interfering in the Sde Teiman leak probe. The petition, filed on January 27, 2026, alleges 'improper interference' by Levy, influenced by Ben Gvir, in an investigation concerning a video purportedly showing abuse at a military base.
Israel has announced the recovery of the remains of police officer Ran Gvili from Gaza on Monday, January 26, 2026. His return, 843 days after the October 7, 2023 attack, fulfills a key condition for the limited reopening of the vital Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which has been closed since May 2024.
Arab families and activists blocked Tel Aviv's Ayalon Highway on January 25, 2026, protesting the surge in violent crime and murders within their communities in Israel. Demonstrators demanded government action against what they describe as abandonment, highlighting the disproportionate number of Arab victims in recent years.
US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, alongside CENTCOM head Admiral Brad Cooper, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday in Israel. Discussions focused on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, the reconstruction of Gaza, demilitarization efforts, and the reopening of the Rafah border crossing. The meeting is part of the broader 'Trump's Gaza peace deal' initiative.
Israel's Knesset has passed a law prohibiting new teachers with academic degrees from Palestinian Authority universities from working in Israeli schools, including those in East Jerusalem. Proponents cite concerns over incitement, while critics condemn it as discriminatory and a threat to Palestinian identity. The law includes transitional provisions for currently employed teachers and those with Israeli accreditation.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Asael Babad, 38, an IDF reservist, has died from injuries sustained during combat in Rafah on October 19, 2025. His passing brings the Israeli ground offensive toll in Gaza to 477. Babad was injured in an anti-tank missile strike that also killed two other soldiers. He is survived by his wife and five children.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted former US President Donald Trump's invitation to join his 'Board of Peace' for Gaza. This decision follows earlier criticism from Netanyahu's office regarding the composition of a related executive committee, marking a significant development in international efforts for post-conflict Gaza.
Ultra-Orthodox communities in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh protested court-ordered autopsies for two infants who died in an unlicensed daycare. The protests, driven by religious objections to post-mortem examinations, led to clashes with police, road blockages, and arrests. Israel's Supreme Court later blocked the autopsies following an appeal from the families.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated Israel's intention to gradually phase out its reliance on American military aid over the next decade, potentially not renewing the current $3.8 billion annual assistance package set to expire in 2028. The announcement, made in an interview with The Economist, highlights Israel's aim for greater self-reliance.
In Israel, families of hundreds of soldiers killed in the Gaza war are opting for posthumous sperm retrieval to ensure future offspring, a practice facilitated by streamlined regulations since October 7, 2023. This growing trend, rooted in a strong pro-natalist culture, raises complex ethical and legal questions regarding consent and the well-being of potential children.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) have announced the killing of Hamas commander Muhammad Hamed Muhammad al-Hawli in Gaza. Al-Hawli was identified as a key figure involved in planning the October 7, 2023, invasion and directing a 1995 attack that resulted in the death of an Israeli security guard.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone conversation on January 16, 2026, to address the escalating situation in the Middle East and concerns surrounding Iran. Putin offered Russia's mediation efforts to promote regional stability.
The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has warned its decades-long presence in East Jerusalem is at risk. This follows Israeli forces' entry into a health center on January 12, 2026, a 30-day closure order, and threats to cut off electricity and water to UNRWA facilities, stemming from recent Knesset legislation.
A 26-year-old Palestinian citizen of Israel, identified as 'Hasan,' has been granted asylum in the UK, marking a potentially unprecedented decision. The ruling, which followed a lengthy legal challenge, recognized his 'well-founded fear of persecution' in Israel due to his pro-Palestinian activism and discrimination as a Palestinian and Muslim.
