Israel-Hamas War Day 228: What's happening in Iran, Gaza, Iraq, Syria?

Israel's Land Authority must take action to fix insufficiencies in its cyber defense and other issues with its database, a report by Israel's State Comptroller on the authority's data and cyber security released Tuesday found.

The authority is tasked with managing the land in Israel as a resource for the development of the state; and the benefit of the public, environment, and future generations.  

Recent diplomatic moves to elevate the Palestinian Authority's standing at the United Nations have prompted discussions within the government about potential retaliatory measures."

During recent discussions, ministers including Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strock put forward proposals for actions against the Palestinian Authority, such as restricting entry permits for senior officials and suspending the release of liquidation funds."

This is a developing story. 

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday described a request by the International Criminal Court prosecutor for arrest warrants against him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "disgraceful" bid to interfere in the Gaza war.

In an official statement, Gallant criticized the warrant, saying, "Since October 7th, the State of Israel [has been] fighting against a brutal terrorist organization, Hamas - an enemy that conducted atrocities against Israeli children, women, and men. Now, it also uses its own people as human shields."

Two people were killed due to an attack on a vehicle in a refugee camp in central Rafah, Israeli media reported on Tuesday, citing Hamas Radio. 

This is a developing story. 

Minister-without-portfolio MK Benny Gantz and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convene the war cabinet on Tuesday in order to discuss the frozen hostage negotiations, Ynet reported on Tuesday. 

The war cabinet convened last Saturday, where Netanyahu rejected the proposals of the negotiating teams. 

Forging formal Israeli-Saudi relations as part of an emerging trilateral deal involving Washington would require a calming of the Gaza war and a discussion of prospects for Palestinian govenance, the US envoy to Jerusalem said on Tuesday.

"There's going to have to be some period of quiet, I think, in Gaza, and there's going to have to be a conversation about how do you deal with the question of the future of Palestinian governance," Ambassador Jack Lew said.

"My view is, that strategic benefit is worth taking the risk of getting into that conversation about. But that's a decision that the government of Israel will have to make and the people of Israel will have to make," he told a conference hosted by the Israel Democracy Institute think-tank.

Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said on Tuesday the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release talks between Israel and Hamas remain “close to a stalemate”.

Asked about the International Criminal Court prosecutor's decision to seek arrest warrants against some Israeli and Hamas leaders, Al-Ansari said it was too early for Qatar to comment directly on that but that all states and organizations should be "held responsible for the killing of civilians."

United Nations officials expressed deep concern on Monday as critical supplies of food and medicine destined for Gaza accumulated in Egypt, hindered by the continued closure of the Rafah crossing. This interruption has significantly disrupted aid delivery efforts in the midst of Israel's intensified military operations against Hamas.

Edem Wosornu, a senior UN aid official, described the situation in Gaza as dire, likening it to "a catastrophe, a nightmare, as hell on earth." She reported to the UN Security Council that over 82,000 metric tonnes of essential supplies had been stalled due to the crossing's closure. The crossing's closure, attributed by Egypt to the ongoing military threats, has prevented the delivery of aid that many in Gaza desperately need as they face an Israeli military onslaught.

Israeli security forces are operating to counter terrorism in Jenin and have detected attacks against terrorists in the area, the IDF announced on Tuesday. 

The Palestinian Health Ministry later reported that five individuals had been killed, and another ten were wounded in clashes with the Israeli forces. 

According to the ministry, three of those wounded are in serious condition.

US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller issued an official condolence over the death of Ebrahim Raisi, the former president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, on Monday. 

"The United States expresses its official condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other members of their delegation in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran," the statement noted.

"As Iran selects a new president, we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms," it concluded.