Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Military & Security

Politics

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson, Doron Spielman, expressed skepticism about the viability of the U.S.-backed Hamas disarmament plan, saying Israel remained convinced Hamas would rearm and attack again should Israel withdraw from Gaza in the near future, AP reported on Aug. 2.

Israel, Gaza: Israel Strikes Gaza as Tensions Bubble Over Disarmament Deal

Hamas and other Palestinian factions agreed to a document setting out a plan for disarmament in the Gaza Strip, conditional upon Israel's withdrawal, Al Jazeera reported on July 31.

Gaza: Hamas Provisionally Agrees to Disarmament Framework

The Palestinian militant group Hamas is set to announce on July 30 that it will lay down its heavy arms and put them in storage in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, local media in Gaza reported the same day.

Israel, Gaza: Hamas Announces Conditional Disarmament, Pressuring Israel To Form a Postwar Plan

Israel's Cabinet preliminarily approved the deployment of around 200 troops from "friendly countries" to Rafah in the Gaza Strip on July 26, the first time the government has approved the International Stabilization Force that is meant to govern Gaza under the plan promoted by the U.S.-backed Board of Peace, The Times of Israel reported on July 27.

Israel, Gaza: Minor International Force Approved for Gaza

United States

The Gaza-based Palestinian militant group Hamas released a statement saying it had elected Khalil al-Hayya, a longtime Hamas insider and one of the group's leading diplomats, as its new leader, Al Jazeera reported on July 20.

Gaza: Hamas Names Khalil al-Haya as New Leader

The Palestinian militant group Hamas dissolved its administrative body responsible for governing the Gaza Strip in order to enable the technocratic, U.S.-backed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) to take control, AP reported on July 6.

Palestinian Territories, Israel: Hamas Dissolves Gaza Administrative Body

Iran

Lebanon

Syria

U.S.-Iran Relations

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would remain in southern Lebanon, Gaza and Syria, despite the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, while far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the MoU would not bind Israeli policies, The Times of Israel reported on June 15.

Israel: Israel Vows To Keep Fighting, Despite U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to take control of 70% of the Gaza Strip, up from a currently estimated 64% and well beyond the confines of the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, The Times of Israel reported on May 28. 

Israel, Gaza: Netanyahu Orders Israeli Military To Take 70% of Gaza

Snapshots

People gather by the rubble of destroyed buildings following an Israeli strike on an industrial area in Gaza City on July 12.

Hamas will likely continue to reject full disarmament in the hope that a more moderate Israeli government will come to power following elections in the fall.


Unfeasible Plans for Gaza Governance Hinder Progress of U.S-Backed Ceasefire 

Assessments

Germany

United Kingdom

Slovenia

Spain

Ireland

Hungary

The EU and Israeli flags in March 2024 in central Berlin's Rotes Rathaus. Although the European Union has sanctioned extremist Israeli settlers, deep-seated internal divisions and a reliance on Israeli defense systems will likely prevent the bloc from imposing comprehensive trade restrictions.

Economics

Although the European Union has sanctioned extremist Israeli settlers, deep-seated internal divisions and a reliance on Israeli defense systems will likely prevent the bloc from imposing comprehensive trade restrictions.

Targeted EU Sanctions on Israeli Settlers Unlikely To Broaden Into Wider Restrictions 

Egypt

Jordan

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Right-wing activists gather with Israeli flags outside the Damascus Gate of the walled Old City of Jerusalem on May 26, 2025, during a flag march for Jerusalem Day, commemorating the Israeli army's 1967 capture of the city's eastern sector during the Arab-Israeli war.

Israel's quest for middle-power status will be defined by its ability to unify its Jerusalem core, which has remained divided throughout the modern state's history.

The Modern Geopolitics of Israel

A view shows tents near the Port of Gaza in the Gaza Strip on Feb. 9, 2026.

With its focus on Iran, the U.S. is unlikely to greenlight a major new Israeli offensive in Gaza anytime soon, which will complicate Netanyahu's efforts to remove Hamas from the Strip before the October elections.

Netanyahu Will Struggle To Defeat Hamas Before Israeli Elections

Somalia

Sudan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) inspect the honor guard during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on June 22, 2022.

After years of discord, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are finding common ground as they increasingly position themselves against Emirati- and Israeli-backed regional initiatives. 

Saudi Arabia and Turkey's New Regional Alignment

Europe

U.S. Vice President JD Vance's shadow is seen as he speaks during a press conference following a military briefing at the civilian military coordination center on Oct. 21, 2025, in Kiryat Gat, Israel. 

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Negotiations over a new Israel-U.S. security agreement signal a pivot in the bilateral relationship as Israel increasingly focuses on strengthening its domestic defense industry.

How Israel's Defense Sector Will Evolve Amid the Government's Push for Self-Reliance

Indonesia

Vietnam

Slovakia

Ukraine

Russia

India

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds up his signature on the founding charter of the Board of Peace among other world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: The Board of Peace Convenes, Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks in Geneva

China

Japan

South Korea

Egyptian trucks and heavy machinery on Oct. 26, 2025, on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip.

The Weekly Rundown: A Gaza Border Reopening, EU Leaders Visit India

U.S. President Donald Trump (center) holds up his signature on the founding charter among world leaders during a ceremony for the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, 2026.

The U.S.-led endeavor's immediate priority will be expanding aid in Gaza, but internal divisions, international skepticism and Israeli interference will likely undermine its effectiveness, especially if the Israel-Hamas ceasefire collapses.

What To Make of Trump's 'Board of Peace'

A photo of Israeli banknotes.

While Israel's economy has proven remarkably resilient during the years-long Gaza war with Hamas, persistent security risks and an upcoming election will present new challenges.

How Israel's Economy Will Weather Persistent Political and Security Concerns in 2026

Greenland

Denmark

France

Switzerland

A sniper police officer on the Congress hotel during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum on Jan. 24, 2025, in the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland.

The Weekly Rundown: Davos, Europe Steps Up Greenland Deployments

Iraq

A stock image shows the silhouettes of soldiers.

Emboldened by its recent capture of Venezuela's Maduro, the White House will likely seek to kill and potentially abduct more Middle Eastern extremists in the coming year, but pursuing high-profile targets like Iranian leaders will carry significant risks.

Potential Targets for U.S. Assassination and Abduction Operations in the Middle East

The Palestinian Territories comprise two sections of the former mandate of Palestine: the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The two small areas are separated from one another by Israel, which controls most of their frontiers. Jordan borders the West Bank on the east, while Egypt lies to the west of the Gaza Strip. The West Bank is a hilly, warm country that enjoys sufficient rainfall to support agriculture, but because the Gaza Strip receives little precipitation due to its location next to the dry Sinai Desert, its economy has traditionally relied on fishing and trade. The territories' only natural border is the Jordan River on the eastern edge of the West Bank.    The Palestinian Territories lack a clear demographic core, although the lands have a symbolic heart: the city of Jerusalem, which Palestinians view as their capital.    The Palestinian Territories evolved over time. After Israel gained its independence in 1948, Jordan annexed the West Bank while Egypt took control of Gaza. After the Six Day War in 1967, however, Israel occupied both territories. The occupation strengthened Palestinian identity, and members of the community eventually came to regard Gaza and the West Bank as components of a united proto-state.      But due to their size and domination by Israel, the Palestinian Territories have not succeeded in achieving state status. The territories, meanwhile, are not only divided geographically but also politically, as the Islamist party Hamas rules Gaza, while the more nationalist and secularist Fatah controls the West Bank. In addition to overcoming the lack of unity, the Palestinian Territories must convince Israel's allies to allow the entity to gain autonomy and eventually achieve independence. Ultimately, internal political divisions and the need to pursue diplomacy to become a sovereign state represent the core geographic challenges for the Palestinian Territories.  

Israel's Survival Strategy

The Pulse of Political Islam

SITUATION REPORTS

Israel, Gaza: Israel Strikes Gaza as Tensions Bubble Over Disarmament Deal

Gaza: Hamas Provisionally Agrees to Disarmament Framework

Israel, Gaza: Hamas Announces Conditional Disarmament, Pressuring Israel To Form a Postwar Plan

Israel, Gaza: Minor International Force Approved for Gaza

Gaza: Hamas Names Khalil al-Haya as New Leader

Palestinian Territories, Israel: Hamas Dissolves Gaza Administrative Body

Israel: Israel Vows To Keep Fighting, Despite U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

Israel, Gaza: Netanyahu Orders Israeli Military To Take 70% of Gaza

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