LiveLive Updates July 26, 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 26, 2026Updates9 minutes agoIsraeli security cabinet approves entry of Trump's Board of Peace into GazaIsrael's security cabinet approved on Sunday the entry of President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, meant to oversee postwar Gaza, into the Strip, one day before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Washington. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir voted against the decision. Several weeks ago, Aryeh Lightstone, a senior adviser to the Board of Peace, sent Netanyahu's office a letter outlining a series of demands for progress in Gaza, including allowing a multinational stabilization force to enter a limited area near Rafah.Under the 20-point plan, governance in the Gaza Strip – or in areas designated as "terror-free" – is supposed to be transferred to the Palestinian technocratic committee (NCAG). In February, the committee began recruiting new police officers who are meant to maintain order in Gaza, but the recruits have yet to be allowed to leave the Strip for training in Egypt or Jordan. The same provision also states that Israel would have to withdraw from areas handed over to the international stabilization force, even without Hamas disarming – a move Israel has strongly opposed. Iran to halt attacks as long as US maintains latest pause, Iranian source says⁠Iran ‌will halt its own ‌attacks as long as the ⁠United States maintains its ⁠pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told Reuters ‌on Sunday."Iran's position ‌remains 'attack for attack': if the attacks stop, Iran will also halt its operations. That message has already been conveyed to the United States," the source told Reuters, ⁠a day after Washington halted attacks following 13 successive ‌nights ⁠of air strikes."There ‌is more scepticism than optimism about the halt in attacks. ⁠The prevailing view is that the pause is tactical rather than genuine," ‌the source added.U.S. ambassador to UN says Donald Trump is giving Iran talks 'a little bit of room' The ‌U.S. ambassador ⁠to the United ⁠Nations told Fox News on Sunday that U.S. ‌President Donald Trump ‌is giving Iran talks "some space." U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington ,Wednesday. Credit: Eric Lee/ReutersU.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington ,Wednesday.Credit: Eric Lee/Reuters"He's giving talks some space, ⁠he's giving it a ‌little ⁠bit of ‌room," Mike Waltz told ⁠the broadcaster on Sunday.Waltz ‌did not provide further detail on the nature of the talks, but there has been a weekend lull in the fighting between Iran and the United States. The Pentagon paused bombing operations after 13 nights of ⁠escalating strikes and there were no weekend reports of attacks by ‌Iran on its ⁠neighbors. Asked about the pause, ‌a senior official in Trump's administration said on Saturday that the president "has ⁠always been clear that his preference is diplomacy, but he has shown Iran what will happen if they ‌fail to come to the table in a serious way."Palestinian President urges urgent international action to halt West Bank 'settler terrorism'Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called for urgent international action to stop what he said was ongoing Israeli aggression and settler terrorism against Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Palestinian Preisdent Mahmoud Abbas, in 2023. Credit: Amr Nabil / APPalestinian Preisdent Mahmoud Abbas, in 2023. Credit: Amr Nabil / APHe made the remarks in a letter to several world leaders, including the European Union, the Secretary-General of the Arab League and the president of the UN Security Council.RECAP: Netanyahu says IDF ready to expand West Bank operations, Syrian president says seeking security deal with IsraelHere are Sunday's latest updates:■ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF is prepared to expand its operations against what he called "terror nests" in the West Bank, as the IDF raided numerous Palestinian localities following Friday's deadly clashes near Nablus in which two Israelis and four Palestinians were killed.■ The IDF's closure around the Palestinian city of Nablus has disrupted emergency medical services in the area, forcing two women to give birth in ambulances after being unable to reach a hospital, Physicians for Human Rights Israel said.■ The IDF said it sealed the home of one Palestinian involved in Friday's deadly shooting incident near Nablus, ahead of the home's planned demolition.■ Israeli police said they arrested seven Palestinians overnight on suspicion of assaulting an Israeli near the Morenu farm outpost, close to the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit in the West Bank.■ Nine people were killed in Israeli attacks and taken to hospitals in the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, Gaza's Health Ministry said, with an additional two people killed after the ministry published its daily tally, bringing the death toll to 1,202 killed since the cease-fire was declared in October.■ Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said his country is working to reach a security agreement with Israel, adding that if the agreement comes to fruition, it will pave the way for peace between the countries without Syria giving up its right to sovereignty in the Golan Heights.■ The IDF scattered leaflets in the Yarmouk River basin in Syria, warning residents to comply with the army's instructions in the area, Syrian reports said, after Israeli forces removed a blockade that Syrian residents had reportedly set up on a road in the area.■ The Lebanese military said the IDF is contuing "systematic destruction and demolition of homes using bulldozers, shelling and machine-gun fire" in southern Lebanon, in violation of the cease-fire agreement. Lebanese military: IDF continuing to attack southern Lebanon in violation of agreementsThe Lebanese military said the IDF is contuing to attack southern Lebanon, in violation of the cease-fire agreement.Used in accordance with Section 27A of the Israeli Copyright Law.In a statement, the Lebanese military said Israeli forces continued attacks, including "systematic destruction and demolition of homes using bulldozers, shelling and machine-gun fire" in and around the southern Lebanese municipalities of Kfar Tebnit, Haddatha, Kounin, Ebel as-Saqi, al-Mansouri, Bayt al-Sayyad and Majdal Zoun.Footage showed smoke rising from the scene of a strike in on Haddatha, in the Bint Jbeil Dsitrict, on Sunday. Lebanese state media reported heavy artillery shelling toward the Ali al-Taher hills, on the outskirts of the Nabatieh al-Fawqa municipality.Earlier, displace residents returned to the Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh municipality in the Nabatieh District, accompanied by the Lebanese army.3 hours agoSyrian President al-Sharaa: Syria seeking security agreement with IsraelSyrian President Al-Sharaa in Berlin in March. Credit: Markus Schreiber/APSyrian President Al-Sharaa in Berlin in March. Credit: Markus Schreiber/APSyrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said his country is working to reach a security agreement with Israel. Al-Sharaa added that if the agreement comes to fruition, it will pave the way for peace between the countries without Syria giving up its right to sovereignty in the Golan Heights. Al-Sharaa expressed concern over the escalation in the region, noting that Syria is not seeking confrontation with Israel.Israel occupied the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War. The region is widely recognized as Syrian territory under Israeli occupation by the international community.In an interview with Al Jazeera, Al-Sharaa also said that Syria is trying to assist the Lebanese government, but will not intervene militarily in the country's efforts to dismantled Hezbollah's military power.Al-Sharaa emphasized that Syria supports the Lebanese government upholding a monopoly of arms and being the sole authority regarding decisions on peace and war. The Syrian leader warned that any deterioration or chaos in Lebanon would directly affect Syria, too.Netanyahu: IDF ready to expand operations against 'terror nests' in West BankPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF is prepared to expand its operations against what he called "terror nests" in the West Bank, as the IDF raided numerous Palestinian localities following Friday's deadly clashes near Nablus in which two Israelis and four Palestinians were killed.Speaking at a government meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said IDF forces had entered a hospital in the Palestinian city of Nablus, where "collaborators were hiding."Earlier, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, a human rights group, said the IDF's closure around the Palestinian city of Nablus has disrupted emergency medical services in the area, forcing two women to give birth in ambulances after being unable to reach a hospital.Over the weekend, Israeli forces raided Palestinian towns and villages across the West Bank, conducting widespread searches, field interrogations and arrests, while settler violence has run rampant in response to Friday's shooting incident.Ministers attending Sunday's meeting called to escalate the Israeli military's response and to change the IDF's open-fire policy, a source said.The IDF said it sealed the home of one Palestinian involved in the shooting, ahead of the home's planned demolition. The deadly incident occurred after armed Israeli settlers entered the Palestinian town of Tell, near Nablus, and a Palestinian resident seized a weapon from one of the settlers.Speaking at the government meeting, Netanyahu also said he will be departing for Washington on Monday where he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and attend a memorial service for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, whom Netanyahu described as "one of Israel's greatest friends since its establishment." The prime minister also noted the International Criminal Court's recent dismissal of its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who oversaw the ICC investigation into Israel's conduct in Gaza and sought warrants against Israeli officials over alleged Gaza war crimes."He did it to divert attention and, of course, to rally all the haters of Israel around him, essentially to give himself a protective shield," Netanyahu said. "That shield has now been torn away, exposing his true motivation, the injustice and the deep corruption that exists not only in the prosecutor's office, but throughout the entire International Criminal Court."Nine Palestinians killed in Gaza in the past 24 hours, Health Ministry saysNine people were killed in Israeli attacks and taken to hospitals in the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, Gaza's Health Ministry said, with an additional two people killed after the ministry published its daily tally, bringing the death toll to 1,202 killed since the cease-fire was declared in October.Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli military strike, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday. Credit: Abdel Kareem Hana,AP Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli military strike, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday. Credit: Abdel Kareem Hana,AP The daily tally includes nine new casualties and two people who succumbed to wounds sustained in previous attacks.Three people were killed since Sunday morning, including two in a strike on a vehicle Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, medics said. The ⁠strike killed Colonel Wael El-Ledawi, head of the service in central Gaza, and Major Ramez Abu Zraiq, the Strip's interior ministry said. The Israeli military said it had carried out a strike against ‌a Hamas militant, without further details.According to the Gazan Health Ministry, since the cease-fire was declared in October, 1,200 people were killed, 3,888 were wounded and 803 remains were recovered from under rubble.Since Hamas' massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing war, 73,326 people have been killed and 173,997 have been wounded, according to the ministry's data.The figures do not include the latest two casualties from the vehicle strike.Israeli police arrest seven Palestinians over alleged assault near West Bank outpostIsraeli police said they arrested seven Palestinians overnight on suspicion of assaulting an Israeli near the Morenu farm outpost, close to Beitar Illit in the West Bank.Police said an Israeli sustained minor injuries after being struck with a club during a confrontation. Soldiers and local security personnel detained the suspects, while a search of the area uncovered clubs and suspected incendiary materials, which were seized as part of the investigation, according to the police statement. The suspects remain in custody, and police said they will seek to extend their detention.In the NewsHow the Sea of Galilee's Trapezoid Beach Ignited a Battle Over ModestyFar-right Smotrich's Religious Zionism to Hold Primaries Amid Comeback in PollsKnesset Legal Adviser: Law Shielding Haredi Draft Dodgers Undermines IDF NeedsReport: Trump Delays Iran Escalation Over Air Defense Supply ConcernsCan Religious Zionists Save Netanyahu – or Sink Him?Remembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIThe Original Ozempic Society of Ancient RomeBetween Messi and Milei: How Argentina Became Israel's Team at the World Cup'Choose Hope': Natalie Portman Backs Arab-Jewish Party Ahead of Israeli ElectionAn Israeli Election Surprise Called the DemocratsIsrael's Far Right Is Repeating the Sin That Brought Down the TempleEd Miliband, the U.K.'s New Foreign Secretary – and His History With Israel