News Digest — 10/23/25
Senior Israel Official: UNRWA Will Not Return To Gaza Despite Hague Ruling
Following a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague that Israel must allow UNRWA to resume operations in the Gaza Strip, a senior Israeli official clarified that such a move is out of the question and there are no plans to change the current policy.
In an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, the official explained, “From our perspective, UNRWA will not set foot in Gaza again. Israel’s experience with UN agencies in Gaza has shown that they have either completely failed in their mission or were effectively influenced and operated by Hamas.”
He added that a clear message on the matter has also been conveyed to the Americans.
“We hope the United States will see eye to eye with Israel on this issue,” the official added.
In Wednesday’s (22nd) ruling, issued at the request of the United Nations, the court determined that Israel had not provided sufficient evidence to prove that a significant portion of UNRWA employees were operating on behalf of Hamas, nor did it provide proof that the agency is not a neutral body.
In January 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported that around 10% of UNRWA employees in Gaza have ties to terror groups.
At least 12 UNRWA employees participated directly in the October 7 massacre: Six were part of the wave of terrorists who breached the border fence and participated in the assault, two helped kidnap Israelis, two were tracked to sites where scores of Israelis were massacred, and other coordinated logistics for the attack – including the procurement of weapons.
Intelligence reports also noted that a 13th UNRWA employee not clearly affiliated with a terror group also entered Israel on October 7, the WSJ noted.
According to the report, “around 1,200 of UNRWA’s roughly 12,000 employees in Gaza have links to Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and about half have close relatives who belong to the terror group.”
The WSJ quoted a senior Israeli official saying, “UNRWA’s problem is not just ‘a few bad apples’ involved in the October 7 massacre. The institution as a whole is a haven for Hamas’ radical ideology.”
An UNRWA spokesperson declined to comment to the WSJ.
Netanyahu Draws ‘Red Line’ Against Turkish Troops In Gaza
During his meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear his opposition to the deployment of Turkish troops in the Gaza Strip, as part of President Donald Trump’s plan for the enclave. “That’s a ‘red line,” Netanyahu said, according to officials familiar with the discussion.
As part of his visit to Israel, Vance met on Wednesday with families of hostages and survivors of Hamas captivity, assuring them that Washington would continue to do everything possible to bring home the remains of those still held in Gaza. “I can’t promise that everyone will return, but we’re working with our partners to make it happen as quickly as possible,” Vance said. He emphasized that “the United States understands that Hamas must be completely removed from Gaza to restore security.”
Also attending the meeting was Yehoshua Shani, head of the Forum of Heroism and father of Capt. Uri Mordechai, who was killed on the first day of the war near Kibbutz Kissufim. Shani shared the story of his son’s battle and spoke of the hundreds of bereaved families in the forum. He appealed to Vance, on their behalf, to carry out the second phase of the agreement, which includes eliminating the security threat from Gaza and destroying Hamas. “We strongly urge the United States to let Israel complete the mission of defeating the enemy,” Shani said. Vance replied, “We’re working on this with the Israeli government.”
Alongside the Vice President’s visit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to arrive in Israel on Thursday (23rd) as part of continued American oversight of the deal’s implementation. His visit follows a series of high-level US trips aimed at ensuring the ceasefire holds and that the agreement with Hamas proceeds according to Washington’s plan,
The growing American involvement in Israel’s security and diplomatic management has become almost a daily presence. Officials in both Washington and Jerusalem describe it as “close coordination,” intended to ensure the ceasefire remains in place and the Gaza agreement is fully carried out. For the US, it reflects a need to monitor the process closely and prevent any escalation that could undermine recent gains.
As part of this effort, the US has established an international command center in the Kiryat Gat industrial zone, staffed by about 200 American troops alongside representatives from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Germany. Vice President Vance visited the base, where a press conference was held under Israeli and American flags and in the presence of US and British generals. Behind the podium stood large signs reading: “Trump’s 20-Point Plan for Gaza” – the American vision for the Strip, designed to be implemented step by step.
Turkey’s Erdogan Seeks To Purchase 40 Fighter Jets From Qatar – Report
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Qatar on Wednesday (22nd), seeking to purchase billions of dollars in military technology, according to Bloomberg.
Erdogan reportedly requested to purchase 24 used and 16 new Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Qatar.
Britain helped facilitate the signing of a preliminary sale agreement and talks regarding the transfer of fighter jets from Qatar to Turkey in deals estimated to be worth several billion dollars, the outlet reported.
Turkey has long-been the second-largest operator of F-16 fighter jets, only second to the United States itself. The Turkish military has never operated any other foreign-produced models but is reportedly seeking to do so in efforts to deepen military ties with European NATO members and other allies.
Purchasing used fighter jets would allow Turkish forces to acquire the arms more quickly, as Bloomberg reported that new US F-16s would not arrive until 2030.
The Institute for the Study of Global AntiSemitism and Policy (ISGAP) issued a statement warning of their fear that the meeting was not a simple diplomatic visit, calling it a “meeting of ideological allies” whose shared agenda promotes Islamist extremism and destabilizes the region.”
Dr. Charles Asher Small, the founding director of ISGAP, assessed the cooperation between Qatar and Turkey as a representation of “the consolidation of a Muslim Brotherhood alliance.”
ISGAP’s statement described the organization’s research into Qatar’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood extremist Islamist movement. The research reportedly documented Qatari involvement in “providing financial, media, and political support that fuels anti-Semitism, terrorism, and anti-Western ideology.”
Dr. Small cautioned that the arms deal may pose a threat to Western Society and the Jewish people as Qatar and its allies are not neutral actors, but deliberate exporters of anti-Semitism and political Islam.
IDF Kills Radwan Force Terrorist Issa Ahmad Karbala As Hezbollah Seeks Reestablishment
The Israeli military killed Hezbollah Radwan force platoon commander Issa Ahmad Karbala in a strike in the Ain Qana area of southern Lebanon on Wednesday morning (22nd), the IDF confirmed.
The area where the strike occurred is roughly halfway between the Israeli border and the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
“The terrorist advanced the transfer of weapons in Lebanon and advanced terror attacks against the State of Israel,” the military said concerning Karbala. “The activities of the terrorist constitute a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
The Radwan force, the unit to which Karbala belonged, is considered Hezbollah’s most elite unit. It is tasked with special operations and positioned at the forefront of the organization’s military engagements.
At the time, the military noted that Hezbollah was attempting to reestablish itself across Lebanon.
On Tuesday (21st), Western intelligence officials told The Jerusalem Post that Hezbollah had been accelerating the pace of its reconstruction.
“Hezbollah is rebuilding faster than the Lebanese army is dismantling,” the officials told the Post.
Freed Hostage Maxim Herkin Rejoins His IDF Unit: ‘Thanks To You I’m Here’
Capt. (res.) Maxim Herkin, 36, who was freed from Hamas captivity last week, after 738 days in Gaza, returned to the IDF on Tuesday evening (21st) to attend an awards ceremony headed by the commander of the Transport Center. There he reunited with his comrades in the reserves for the first time since coming home and delivered an emotional speech.
“Thank you so much,” Herkin told the crowd. “Thanks to you, I came home to my civilian family a few days ago, and today, thanks to you, I came home to my family in uniform. I grew up in the Transport Center during my regular service and continued here in the reserves. This unit has always meant so much to me—it’s my military life. We all have civilian lives and lives in uniform, and I have to thank you.”
He continued: “From October 7 until today, you have given up your civilian lives for your military ones because there is a higher purpose. In my eyes, it is sacred work. You give your time, your strength, and your spirit so that we win, so that you bring us home. There are no words for how grateful I am—because of you, I’m here.”
Herkin was kidnapped from the Noza music festival on Oct. 7.
Emaciated and pale upon his return, Herkin managed to conceal from his captors that he was an IDF officer, having ditched his phone and military ID during the abduction. His family said he was held “in inhuman conditions” but demonstrated “tremendous physical and emotional strength.”
Asked why he apologized to his mother after his return, Herkin said, “I went to the Nova festival and told her I would be back in the morning — and it took me two years. I said ‘sorry it took a bit longer than I thought,’”
Syria’s Dubai Consul Resigns, Slams Sweida ‘Genocide Campaign,’ Supports Druze
Syrian Consul in Dubai Ziad Zahreddine announced his resignation from the Syrian government in protest against what he described as “the genocide campaign in Sweida,” accusing “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham forces and Bedouin tribes” of carrying out the nassacre under the direct supervision of top leadership in Damascus.
Zahreddine said in a statement that he would advocate for the establishment of a separate entity for the Druze community in Syria, expressing solidarity with Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijiri, a spiritual leader of the sect. Notably, Zahreddine used the term “Mount Bashan” to refer to Sweida province – a biblical name encompassing parts of southern Syria, including Jabal al-Arab, the Golan Heights, the Hauran Plain, and Quneitra.
In the first official response, a source at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Media Line that Zahreddine had been reassigned to the ministry’s central administration in Damascus and that his duties at the consulate ended Sept. 20. The source stressed that statements made by Zahreddine “do not represent the Syrian state or its official policies but rather reflect a purely personal stance that contradicts diplomatic norms and the ethics of consular work.
According to informed sources, Zahreddine sent his family to Germany to seek asylum after his assignment was terminated during a restructuring of the Syrian diplomatic corps.
Olympic Committee Punishes Indonesia Over Israeli Athlete Ban
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has formally banned Indonesia from hosting international sporting competitions after the Islamic country barred Israeli athletes from participating in an upcoming world gymnastics event.
Earlier in October, Jakarta refused to issue visas to Israeli athletes who had qualified for the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
Despite appeals from Israeli authorities, Indonesia—the world’s most populous Muslim nation—maintained its refusal to allow the athletes’ entry.
The championships began last week, with Israeli competitors de facto banned from participating.
In response, the IOC declared that Indonesia had violated fundamental principles of equality in sport and the rules of international athletic competitions.
“All eligible athletes, teams and sports officials must be able to take part in international sports competitions and events without any form of discrimination by the host country,” the IOC Executive Board stated in a media release.
The committee announced that it would suspend all dialogue with Indonesia’s National Olympic Committee regarding any future Olympic Games, Youth Olympics, or other international events “until such time as the Indonesian government provides the IOC with adequate guarantees that it will allow access to the country for all participants, regardless of nationality.”
Israeli sporting officials welcomed the decision, condemning Indonesia’s actions to ban the Jewish state’s athletes.
“Global sport is based on clear rules, values, and strict adherence to equal opportunity and sportsmanship,” said Yael Arad, chair of the Olympic Committee of Israel (OCI) in a statement.
In recent months, Israeli athletes have faced growing hostility in the global sports arena.
An Israeli cycling team was repeatedly attacked and harassed during the prestigious Vuelta bicycle race in Spain, and activist groups have called on FIFA and UEFA to ban Israel from international soccer competitions.
