Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-01 at 15:01

HEADLINES
Israel kills Hamas commander Adel Asfour
Rafah screening moved to Kerem Shalom
Lebanon Israel pact signals sovereignty shift

The time is now 3:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, the Board of Peace said UNRWA has no place in Gaza's future, stating, "We are turning the page on the complex of perpetual aid dependency and conflict. The people of Gaza deserve better." Separately, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories announced a pilot program relocating the security screening of Gaza residents returning to the Strip from Egypt via the Rafah Crossing. The screening is now conducted at Kerem Shalom Crossing by the Land Crossings Authority within Israel's Defense Ministry, with COGAT stressing that Rafah operations have not changed. The IDF and Shin Bet jointly killed Hamas platoon commander Adel Jihad Mohammad Asfour, who led several sniper and explosive attacks against IDF soldiers in Gaza. Three terrorists were eliminated today in two targeted Israeli UAV strikes in Gaza City, northern Gaza. An opinion piece within this topic argues that restoring Lebanon to its former promise will require more than normalization, and reclaiming genuine sovereignty will be a difficult process; it notes a weekend 14-point agreement between Lebanon and Israel as signaling that no foreign state or armed group has the authority to decide Lebanon's fate, reflecting a shift away from external influence after years of turmoil.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Immigrant, barista and anti-Israeli: Democrat Melat Kiros heads to Congress. The 29-year-old democratic socialist defeated veteran Representative Diana DeGette in Denver’s Democratic primary, a victory for the party’s progressive wing and another sign that Israel has become a political identity test.

In Uplifting News, Israeli humanitarian team arrives in Venezuela following devastating earthquake. A preliminary team arrived to support earthquake recovery efforts, led by Israeli Ambassador-designate to Mexico Yoed Magen and IDF Home Front Command Chief of Staff Brigadier-General Elad Edri; the rest of the delegation is set to join in coming days, with the mission to assist local teams and share knowledge in earthquake and emergency response. Couple climb Empire State Building spire in peace banner proposal stunt. Two climbers high atop the Empire State Building unfurled a banner reading "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace," then were arrested upon descent. New Bullet-resistant MDA ambulance dedicated to two fallen fallen IDF reservists. In Eli, a bullet-resistant Magen David Adom ambulance was inaugurated in memory of Nitai Meizels and Amishar Ben-David, funded through a crowdfunding effort and supported by MDA, Friends of MDA in Israel, and local authorities. From Frozen to Cinderella: Ice spectaculars arrive across Israel this summer. The Imperial Ice Stars will bring Cinderella – Ballet on Ice to the Tel Aviv Opera House in September, featuring 24 skaters and elaborate production; Musical on Ice tours Israel this summer, bringing songs from Frozen and Frozen 2 to stages in Ashdod, Kiryat Motzkin, Haifa, Herzliya, Rishon Lezion, and Or Akiba. The נער שנסחף בים בחוף פלמחים אותר במצב אנוש על ידי צוללן כבאות והצלה בין הסלעים בחוף. בנער בוצעו פעולות החייאה והוא פונה לבית החולים וולפסון בחולון.

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/israel-news/defense-news/article-901142
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-901042
https://t.me/selena_updates/66497
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjhcj6zmzx
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901152
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-901147
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901138
https://www.jpost.com/must/mustsee/article-901133
https://t.me/newssil/205709