War in Israel: Update on Current Situation
10/30/2025
October 30, 2025 – October 7 War, Day 755, 13 hostage bodies remain in captivity
The ceasefire in Gaza holds despite Hamas still holding 13 bodies of hostages. High-level US visits to Israel continue as the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is set to arrive.
Gaza Ceasefire
- The Gaza ceasefire resumed at 10 a.m. yesterday, following brief Israeli military activity in response to numerous Hamas violations of the agreement, including:
- Terrorists launched an attack on an IDF position, killing Israeli soldier Yona Efraim (Efi) Feldbaum, 37, a father of five;
- The failure by Hamas to return all 28 bodies stipulated in the deal;
- Hamas staged a “discovery” of a hostage’s body, which actually turned out to be additional remains from a body recovered by Israeli forces in 2023 (see below).
- Hamas then reneged on a promise to return an additional hostage’s body that day, accusing Israel of violating the agreement.
- Israel’s military response was heavy, but limited in time, as a result of US pressure to keep the ceasefire alive, and also driven by efforts to recover the remaining 13 hostage bodies.
- Nonetheless, during the brief return to fighting, the IDF was able to attack a large terror tunnel. The Hamas underground position had previously remained untouched by Israel for fear that it held live hostages.
- Israel and Hamas each now control roughly half of the area of Gaza, divided by the “Yellow Line.”
- The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have not resumed firing at Israel since the ceasefire took effect.
Bodies of Hostages Released
- Despite stipulations in the ceasefire agreement that called on Hamas to release all 28 bodies of the hostages it was holding within 72 hours, that deadline passed with only a small portion of the deceased hostages being returned.
- Hamas has said it will transfer two additional bodies of hostages to the Red Cross today, but Israel remains skeptical that the move will take place, following numerous broken Hamas promises in the past week. A few days ago, Hamas announced it had “located” the bodies of two additional hostages, Amiram Cooper, 85, and Sahar Baruch, 25—both murdered in captivity.
- The body parts returned by Hamas on Tuesday turned out not to be from one of the 13 remaining bodies the terror group is holding. Instead, they were identified as belonging to Ofir Tzarfati, 27, who was murdered at the Nova festival and abducted to Gaza. Most of his body was recovered by the IDF more than a year ago and was buried in Israel.
- IDF drones caught on film scenes of Hamas removing Ofir’s remains from an apartment, and then using a tractor to bury them. Hamas then falsely claimed to the Red Cross that they had “found a body.” The Red Cross condemned Hamas’ actions after viewing the footage.
- While thirteen hostage bodies have still not been returned from Gaza, Israeli sources estimate that Hamas knows where most of them can be found. Tragically, the IDF also believes that the location of four or five bodies is unknown.
International Diplomacy
- Negotiations continue on Phase 2 of the ceasefire agreement. Still under discussion are the issues of disarming Hamas, the IDF’s withdrawal, the future governance of Gaza, etc. Some commentators feel that the negotiations may not progress far, leaving a de facto situation for the medium-to-long term, where Hamas remains in charge of 50% of Gaza, with Israel holding the rest.
- The procession of top American officials to Israel has continued. Following visits by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Rubio, and Morgan Ortagus (the State Department’s representative to the United Nations), the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and Energy Secretary Chris Wright are also expected to arrive.
- A new base was established by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Kiryat Gat to monitor Gaza developments. The facility, known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), tracks aid flows, ceasefire compliance, shortages of essentials, and the search for hostage bodies. US officials describe its mission as “minute-by-minute oversight,” but some Israeli officials say it effectively limits IDF responses to Hamas violations. The American flag is the only one flying over the base, which houses around 200 American troops alongside IDF personnel. In addition, soldiers from Germany, France, the UK, Spain, Australia, Greece, Jordan, and the UAE are also present, marking the first time Arab forces have been stationed on Israeli soil. Civilian aid groups and the International Committee of the Red Cross are also operating from the base.
- The Mossad has exposed a senior Iranian official, Sardar Amar, commander of Corps 11,000 under the Quds Force, as the mastermind behind failed terror plots in Australia, Greece, and Germany over the last year or two. These operations were part of Iran’s expanded efforts to target Israeli and Jewish interests worldwide following October 7. Amar’s network utilized foreign recruits, criminal proxies, and covert communication methods to evade detection. Still, its repeated failures led to arrests and diplomatic backlash, including the expulsion of Iran’s ambassador from Australia and a formal reprimand in Germany. The Mossad emphasized its ongoing commitment both to thwarting Iranian threats and to protecting Israeli and Jewish lives around the world.
Israeli Politics
- Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chair Boaz Bismuth has proposed a new revised draft law for ultra-Orthodox conscription.
- The new bill would eliminate the quota for Haredi combat soldiers, to be replaced by non-combat service.
- Civilian-security service, such as volunteering with ZAKA, would now also count toward ultra-Orthodox service quotas.
- The definition of “ultra-Orthodox” has also been softened to include anyone who studied in a yeshiva for two years (instead of three, as under the previous proposal).
- Driver’s license suspension, which is one of the more controversial aspects of earlier bills, will apply only to new draft dodgers; existing license holders will retain permits.
- Nonetheless, politicians and leaders from both sides of the debate, Haredim as well as parliamentarians from the Opposition, have rejected the proposal.
- A mass protest by the ultra-Orthodox population is set to take place later today in Jerusalem against any efforts to draft haredim to the IDF. Organizers have dubbed it the “One Million Man March.” Roads in the capital, as well as the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway (one of the country’s major arteries), are expected to close for many hours.
Israeli Companies in New York
- Ahead of the mayoral elections in New York, a new report has been released by the United States-Israel Business Alliance.
- According to the study, Israeli companies have created nearly 30,000 direct jobs in New York City, with an average salary exceeding $160,000.
- These 590 companies have contributed $12.4 billion to the city’s economy and nearly $20 billion in gross economic output.
- They’ve also indirectly supported over 50,000 additional jobs and generated more than $8 billion in total earnings.
- Aaron Kaplowitz, the president of the alliance, said, “Israeli innovation is indispensable to New York—and to the world.”
