This story first appeared as today’s Israel briefing newsletter. You can sign up to receive it daily here.
It’s day 600 of the war and nationwide protests have erupted over the hostages, with calls for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire proposal. The Hostage and Missing Families Forum has also demanded the removal of Netanyahu’s closest ally, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, from the negotiation team, accusing him of obstructing talks.
In Gaza, a food distribution centre backed by the United States descended into chaos yesterday. Thousands of Palestinians stormed a site operated by the new US-led Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The Hamas government in Gaza claimed three people were killed, but the IDF insisted it had only fired warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd.
GHF said it had distributed 8,000 food boxes – equal to 462,000 meals – but admitted it could not manage the crowd. UN officials criticised the group for bypassing coordination with established humanitarian agencies and putting civilians at risk.
Elsewhere, US officials are concerned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may order a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities without American coordination, the New York Times has reported.
The paper said Netanyahu is resisting Washington’s push for a negotiated deal, and that tensions have prompted a fraught phone call between the two leaders. Israeli officials reportedly believe that recent operations against Hezbollah and Hamas have cleared a path for an Iran strike. Netanyahu’s office took the unusual step of releasing a statement dismissing the report as “fake news”.
Antisemitism is now the leading concern for Jewish people worldwide, a landmark Israeli-led survey has found. The 2025 Jewish Landscape Report, published by Voice of the People – an initiative backed by President Isaac Herzog – polled more than 10,000 Jews across six continents. Its findings will guide a new Global Jewish Council of 150 leaders from Israel and Diaspora communities.
The survey found that, in the UK, 81 per cent of respondents reported a growing need to conceal their identities in public
Globally, some 76 per cent of respondents cited rising antisemitism as their top concern. Many reported experiencing harassment, exclusion, and fear of displaying Jewish identity in schools, workplaces, and online spaces. Among Gen Z and millennials, more than 80 per cent identified antisemitism as a direct personal issue.
Other major concerns were:
Widening rifts between Israel and the Diaspora (56 per cent)
Deteriorating relations with non-Jewish communities (49 per cent)
Growing internal divisions (49 per cent)
Fears over cultural continuity (46 per cent).
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has prepared arrest warrants for Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, according to legal sources in Jerusalem. The warrants concern their roles in West Bank settlement expansion. Judges are reviewing jurisdiction before proceeding.
And Jerusalem Day was marked by some in a politically charged manner -- in cases overstepping lines to calls for violence.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has issued a strong rebuke of Israel’s military conduct in Gaza. He said the strikes were “no longer comprehensible or justified” and warned that Germany may suspend weapons exports used in potential violations of international law. Israel has not responded publicly.
Likewise, more than 1,200 Israeli military officers have signed an open letter calling for an immediate end to the war. “Continuing the war goes against the will of an overwhelming majority of the public,” said the letter, which is signed by reservists and active-duty personnel. “It will result in the deaths of hostages, IDF soldiers and innocent civilians, and may even lead to the commission of war crimes.”
In southern Lebanon, an Israeli drone strike killed a senior Hezbollah commander from the Radwan Force. The military said he was responsible for recent cross-border attacks and had been tracked for weeks. His identity was not released.
Finally, Israeli and Syrian officials reportedly held quiet talks in Amman aimed at reducing tensions along the Golan Heights. Sources described the meetings as focused on technical security coordination, not diplomacy. Neither government has confirmed the talks.
You can sign up to the JC’s Israel briefing here.
