Overview
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will never accept a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River, echoing ministers Israel Katz and Gideon Saar who insist the IDF will retain control of key areas.
- Israeli media, citing Al-Hadath, report that the transition to phase two of President Trump’s Gaza plan remains blocked over the makeup and mandate of an international force and over Hamas disarmament, with contingency planning underway.
- The UN Security Council is expected to vote Monday on a U.S. draft that endorses the proposal, authorizes an international stabilization force and sets a Peace Council mandate through December 2027, though diplomats note concerns about oversight and roles.
- Despite the cease-fire framework, Israeli operations continued with reported strikes in Khan Yunis and northern Rafah inside the so‑called yellow line, demolitions in Rafah, and an IDF statement claiming a suspected militant was killed during a raid near Nablus.
- The ICRC and Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades resumed efforts to recover a prisoner’s body in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood, as heavy rain and winter storms further degrade already overwhelmed displacement camps.