LiveLive Updates July 01, 2026Share to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeJuly 01, 2026Updates9 hours agoIsrael, U.S. sign agreement for embassy to be built in Jerusalem on land expropriated from Palestinians, families sayForeign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Credit: Boaz Oppenheim / GPOForeign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Credit: Boaz Oppenheim / GPOForeign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee signed an agreement to construct a permanent U.S. embassy compound in Jerusalem on land that Palestinian families say was expropriated from them in 1950.The U.S. government drafted a plan in coordination with Israel for a large diplomatic complex in an area of southern Jerusalem known as the Allenby Complex. Representatives of Palestinian families had requested that the U.S. government cancel the plan, submitting documents to show that the land was confiscated from them and transferred to the state in 1950.Eminent Palestinian historian Professor Rashid Khalidi told Haaretz, "The Allenby compound does not belong to Israel, which has no right to offer the site to the United States for the location of its embassy in Jerusalem." The Khalidis were among the families whose land was expropriated for the Allenby Complex.He described the "collaboration of the United States government with Israel in the theft of Palestinian private and waqf property is yet another American infringement on Palestinian rights, in keeping with a long and disgraceful record of such hostile behavior towards the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights, national, religious and private." Waqf property refers to land with a dedicated religious purpose under Islamic law.RECAP: Indirect ‌talks between ‌Tehran and Washington ⁠ongoing since Tuesday ⁠night in DohaHere are Wednesday's latest updates:■ Indirect ‌talks between ‌Tehran and Washington have been ⁠ongoing since Tuesday ⁠night in Doha, a senior Iranian official told Reuters, adding ‌that discussions were focused ‌on the release of Tehran's funds and the Strait of Hormuz.■ Former head of the IDF's Hostages and Missing Persons Command Maj. Gen. (Res.) Nitzan Alon said that after October 7, Israel "conducted a long war that could have ended at least a year earlier," adding that there were hostages that could have "been returned alive."■ The United Nations issued a warning that the continued expansion of territory controlled by Israeli forces in Gaza is "intensifying risks to civilians and further constraining humanitarian efforts."■ Three people were killed across Israeli localities within less than an hour on Wednesday morning.■ Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old Democrat, won the Colorado House primary in the latest major victory for progressives demanding fundamental changes to the U.S.-Israel relationship.11 hours agoFormer hostage coordinator: Gaza war 'could have ended at least a year earlier,' hostages could have 'returned alive'Former head of the IDF's Hostages and Missing Persons Command Maj. Gen. (Res.) Nitzan Alon said that after October 7, Israel "conducted a long war that could have ended at least a year earlier," adding that there were hostages that could have "been returned alive.""Strategically, we could have achieved the same results or avoided failing to achieve those we did not achieve – such as disarming Hamas, and so on. We paid a heavy price in soldiers killed, perhaps even some hostages killed, immense costs in blood and money that were not necessary," Alon said.Former head of the IDF's Hostages and Missing Persons Command Maj. Gen. (Res.) Nitzan Alon. Credit: Tomer AppelbaumFormer head of the IDF's Hostages and Missing Persons Command Maj. Gen. (Res.) Nitzan Alon. Credit: Tomer AppelbaumSpeaking at the Herzliya Conference of the Institute for Policy and Strategy at Reichman University, against the backdrop of an emerging agreement between the United States and Iran and the cease-fire framework between Israel and Lebanon, Alon said that referring to Gaza as a failure is an understatement akin to "throwing sand in the eyes of the public: it has no real meaning, perhaps in domestic policy of foreign policy but not when it comes to strategy."He said there were "approximately 40 hostages who were taken hostage alive that were killed in captivity," adding that negotiations could have "brought them back alive." He criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, calling him "the one who opposed some of the agreements at various stages and I do not think he can take credit for the return of all the hostages.""The cabinet and the political leadership rejected earlier comprehensive deals – in the name of that same 'total victory,' which is a falsehood. The push for partial proposals in various forums, or the alternative of a partial agreement versus a broader one, meant choosing a partial deal to allow continued fighting," he said, adding, "Strategically conducting a war for more than two years until the American administration forced its end – this was not the optimal path given the price we paid."He further accused the Israeli government of creating an "irreversible reality of population mixing, outposts, settlements, farm" in the West Bank as part of a "long-term plan" that will "not permit Palestinian territorial continuity." He added that violent hilltop youth have been given the role of soldier and even "singificant roles in the government," which he described as Israel's use of "militias and other proxy forces" in the West Bank.He argued that he is "not convinced that buffer zones will provide long-term security for Israel," refering to Gaza and Lebanon.Read the full article11 hours agoIndirect U.S.-Iran technical talks underway in Doha, source saysIndirect ‌technical talks between ‌the United States and ⁠Iran are underway ⁠in Doha, with Qatar and Pakistan serving as mediators, a ‌source with direct ‌knowledge of the discussions told Reuters on Wednesday.U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner met ⁠Qatar's prime minister on Tuesday to ‌lay ⁠the groundwork for ‌Wednesday's technical sessions but are not attending ⁠the talks themselves, the source said.U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed a return to war with Iran in recent days, holding multiple conversations with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine regarding the possibility of more strikes, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.U.S. President Donald Trump, this week. Credit: Evan Vucci/ReutersU.S. President Donald Trump, this week. Credit: Evan Vucci/ReutersQatar's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who also serves as the country's foreign minister, met with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.According to the ministry, the meeting focused on the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, "along with the efforts aimed at promoting security and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy," and addressed regional developments, including the cease-fire in Lebanon."There are currently no high-level meetings between the Iranian and American parties under the adopted negotiation mechanism," a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, according to CNN.Read the full articleExpansion of Israeli control in Gaza intensifies risks to civilians, constrains humanitarian efforts, UN saysThe United Nations issued a warning that the continued expansion of territory controlled by Israeli forces in Gaza is "intensifying risks to civilians and further constraining humanitarian efforts."Since the October 2025 cease-fire agreement, the United Nations has verified the killing of 196 Palestinians in attacks near Israeli troops, with many killed while "moving through areas lacking clear demarcation on the ground." OCHA said that many more have been wounded."Humanitarian access remains severely constrained due to restrictions on movement which results in delays or pauses in life-saving activities," according to OCHA. "Most Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced multiple times and are now concentrated in increasingly limited areas, living amid insecurity and violence. Access to essential services is already strained by the insufficient entry of critical goods into Gaza. This situation is further compounded by the continued expansion and shifting of deployment lines."In a statement cosigned by the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs, the Humanitarian Country Team call for an end to the targeting of Palestinians "for being in areas close to Israeli forces" as well as "safe and unimpeded humanitarian access into and across all parts of the Gaza Strip."U.S. Congress blocks vote on cutting military aid to IsraelA Congress committee canceled a vote on an amendment to block U.S. funding to the Israeli military on Tuesday.Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, who co-sponsored the amendment alongside Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, blamed the "pro-Israel lobby" for blocking the vote in a post on X.Congress has blocked the amendment @RepThomasMassie and I introduced to stop the integration of our military with Israel’s. It is unconscionable to not even have a vote. We will be continuing on and will not be intimidated by the pro-Israel lobby.Show more"Congress has blocked Thomas Massie and my amendment to prevent the integration of our military with Israel," Khanna said. "This is unconscionable. They're not even giving us a vote on the amendment. Thomas and I will continue to fight to make sure we don't compromise American sovereignty."The amendment would prohibit funds from the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act "from being used for Israel, and accordingly reduces the Foreign Military Financing Program account by $3.3 billion."Massie also proposed to reduce $2.1 billion in funding from programming in Jordan and $1.4 billion in assistance for Egypt, according to the amendments submitted to the Committee on Rules.15 hours agoThree people killed within hour across Israeli localitiesEmergency response services in Shfaram on Wednesday morning. Credit: Magen David AdomEmergency response services in Shfaram on Wednesday morning. Credit: Magen David AdomThree people were killed across Israeli localities within less than an hour on Wednesday morning: In Netanya, a rabbi in his 70s was fatally stabbed inside a synagogue, police said they are pursuing the stabbing suspect, who is known to law enforcement; in the northern Israeli Arab city of Shfaram, a 24-year old bus driver was shot dead on his way to work, police said the incident had criminal motives; a 21-year-old resident of the Bedouin town Basmat Tiv'on was shot dead in the parking lot of a shopping complex in the nearby Yagur, police are investigating the homicide as linked to criminal motives.According to Haaretz's tally, 172 people have been killed in Israel since the beginning of the year. Eleven people have been killed since the start of this week.Read the full articleIn the News65 Palestinians High Schoolers Arrested This Year by Israel, Advocacy Group SaysBaby Hitler Photo in New Jersey High School Yearbook Sparks OutrageU.S.-Iran Indirect Talks in Doha Focus on Iranian Assets, Strait of HormuzIsrael Changes Age for Second Measles Vaccine in Effort to Stop OutbreakKnesset Adviser: Bid to Freeze Haredi Arrests Could Derail Army Exemption BillRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIAdvanced Israeli Systems Sold to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Documents and Images ShowIsrael 2026 Election Poll Tracker: The Latest ProjectionsA Collapsing Society: Israel Suffers National Mental Crisis Due to the WarFlagGate: How Israel Set Off a Storm by Hosting a Separatist Genocide DenierWhy Israelis Should Stop Being Afraid of Mamdani-backed Brad LanderSettlers Tried to Torch Palestinian Homes. They Messed With the Wrong Village