HEADLINES
Israel stays on max alert for Sukkot
Ceasefire path outlined as hostage talks resume
Hassan Atwi killed in Beqaa drone strike

The time is now 1:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

Today’s hourly update covers a region still contending with war’s cost, shifting alliances, and steps toward diplomacy while security remains the first line of daily life for millions.

Israel remains focused on a high level of readiness as the calendar turns toward the Sukkot holiday period. The army’s chief directed the force to maintain the highest level of alert through the holiday, ordering drills, real-time planning, and reinforced air defense posture across all fronts. In practice, communities near Gaza and along the border are operating under tightened security protocols, and civilian first-responder teams have undergone a major refresh in training and equipment to meet potential contingencies. Concurrently, the military is continuing to refine civil defense procedures and emergency coordination for large gatherings and public events during the festive period.

On the Gaza front, diplomacy continues even as fighting persists and hostages remain at the heart of discussions. Talks in Egypt toward implementing a US plan to end the war feature a staged pathway that would see a ceasefire, hostage releases, and progress on humanitarian access, with conditions linked to prisoner exchanges and broader stabilization steps. In parallel, a new round of talks aims to align military actions with the broader aim of reducing civilian harm and restoring some level of daily life for Gazans. Public sentiment inside Israel reflects a tension between competing priorities: the drive to end the war and safeguard hostages versus the determination to prevent Hamas from reconstituting capabilities. A recent poll from the Israel Democracy Institute found that two-thirds of Israelis think the time has come to end the war, driven largely by concern for hostages, even as a substantial minority believes operations must continue to topple Hamas. The same survey shows deeper fracture along political and community lines regarding whether Prime Minister Netanyahu should resign, with higher pressure among Arab Israelis and a notable portion of centrist and left-leaning Jews supporting departure from office.

In parallel, reports from inside the defense ministry indicate a recalibration of border-security budgets for Gaza’s front-line communities. After a period of adjustments, the approach now emphasizes high-quality, repeatable training, better equipment readiness, and a more professionalized civilian security network along the border. The aim is to maintain protection for towns and villages while ensuring reserves are ready and capable if hostilities flare again.

Regionally, Hezbollah in Lebanon remains a central factor for regional stability. Israeli forces say they killed a key Hezbollah air-defense operative, Hassan Atwi, and his wife in a drone strike in Beqaa, a blow described by the IDF as a significant disruption to Hezbollah’s operational capacity. Israeli authorities say the strike targeted a Radwan Force group training and planning activity, underscoring what they view as ongoing violations of understandings with Lebanon. In the same week, the IDF conducted air and surface strikes against Hezbollah positions in eastern Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, citing the group’s continued weapon storage and training as a threat to Israel. The Lebanese government is under pressure, with international and US partners pushing hard for steps to disarm Hezbollah and reduce cross-border threats. The situation remains delicate, and regional actors are watching for any misstep that could widen the conflict beyond Gaza and the border.

Syria’s political landscape is also evolving, with preliminary results showing a parliament that features...