Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-10 at 23:01

HEADLINES
Pause Hezbollah attacks before talks
Hostage families lash back at torch ceremony
Airlines restart flights to Tel Aviv

The time is now 11:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, the United States and Lebanon have asked Israel to temporarily pause attacks against Hezbollah before peace talks between Israel and Lebanon begin. The request was described as being under review by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with US officials signaling agreement and urging Israel to proceed. Lebanon had said the United States would mediate the talks. Some Israeli officials support a short pause if it helps start negotiations, while Lebanon proposed returning to the principles of the November 2024 ceasefire as a basis for the pause, with Israel to respond only to imminent threats from Hezbollah. The move follows a statement issued by the Lebanese presidency earlier on Friday.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, former Gaza hostage Rom Braslavski faced intense online attacks after criticizing the decision to have Brigadier-General (Reserve) Gal Hirsch light a torch at the Independence Day ceremony on Mount Herzl. Braslavski wrote that the choice was a “slap in the face” to him, his parents, and other hostage families, and said Hirsch did not contact him after his return from Hamas captivity. Shortly after his remarks, he became the target of abusive messages from some right-wing social media users, including insults and accusations of ingratitude. Others wrote messages of support for him amid the online backlash.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a Temple Israel rabbi criticized Abdul El-Sayed for remarks she called offensive about the synagogue attack in suburban Detroit, saying his comments suggested violence against a synagogue could be understood through Israeli actions. Rabbi Jen Lader, writing in The Free Press, highlighted two statements from El-Sayed: condemnation of antisemitism, and lengthy follow-up remarks discussing Israel’s war. Her op-ed marked a rare instance of a rabbi publicly opposing a candidate in a statewide race. Separately, an opinion piece argues that antisemitism is returning and the world is silent again, warning that Western leaders may be failing to learn from history. The piece draws parallels to Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, cites Haj Amin al-Husseini’s collaboration with Nazi Germany, and critiques appeasement, with Neville Chamberlain as a symbol of dangerous optimism about preventing conflict.

In Israeli Economy and Business, several airlines announced plans to reinstate flights to Israel in the coming weeks. Blue Bird of Greece will resume service between Athens and Tel Aviv as early as Sunday, becoming the first foreign carrier to return to the Israeli market since the skies closed at the start of Operation Roaring Lion. Etihad Airways of Abu Dhabi will begin flying to Ben-Gurion Airport on Wednesday, with two daily round trips in each direction, and Wizz Air plans a Budapest-Tel Aviv service starting April 25. Smartwings of the Czech Republic will restart regular flights to Tel Aviv from April 15, aiming for seven weekly flights. The Israel Airports Authority and the Transport Ministry said they are studying plans to expand flight activity at Ben-Gurion following the announced ceasefire with Iran.

In Uplifting News, Harbin, China, known as the Ice City, preserves its Jewish heritage through music and the enduring story of the Schoenfeld sisters. The Schoenfeld International String Competition, founded in 2013 in Hong Kong and settled in Harbin the following year, highlights Western art music in a city where the Old Synagogue Hall hosts master classes. The city’s Jewish connection began in 1898 with the Russian-built Chinese Eastern Railway, a path followed by Jewish figures such as Alexander Yugovich and Mikhail Gruliov as Harbin became a meeting point for Jewish and broader cultural exchange.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-892612
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-892613
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-892614
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-892482
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-892615
https://www.jpost.com/history/article-892511