JC Israel Briefing Day 598: US border control detain freed hostage still flagged as missing

Israel’s National Security Council raised the travel alert level for Canada from Level 1 to Level 2, citing an increased threat from terrorist elements targeting Israelis and Jewish people. The advisory urged Israeli nationals in Canada to take extra precautions and avoid displaying Israeli or Jewish symbols in public.

Officials said the change followed a series of incidents over the past 18 months, including shootings, Molotov cocktail attacks and direct threats against Jewish institutions and individuals.

Houthi terrorists in Yemen launched a ballistic missile at Israel yesterday, triggering sirens in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Dead Sea region. Israeli air defences intercepted the missile before impact.

The IDF struck a command post run by Hamas and Islamic Jihad inside a former school building in Gaza City. The facility, located in the Faami Al-Jarjawi School in the Daraj neighbourhood, was used to plan attacks on Israeli forces and civilians, according to the IDF. Palestinian reports said 25 people were killed. The military said it used precision methods to minimise civilian harm and blamed Hamas for embedding militants in civilian areas.

Israeli forces killed senior Hamas naval commander Ahmad Osama Hassan Al-Lahouni in a targeted strike. He was identified as one of the gunmen who breached the border at Kerem Shalom during the October 7 assault.

President Donald Trump said he wants the war in Gaza to end “as quickly as possible.” Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump told reporters he hoped for “good news soon.” US officials told Axios the president has privately pushed Netanyahu to de-escalate and is disturbed by images of civilian casualties.

Aid deliveries into Gaza were thrown in to havoc yesterday after looters seized truck convoys before they reached designated handout points. A UAE-based charity said 23 of 24 of its trucks were emptied.

The incident coincided with the planned start of a US-Israeli distribution scheme involving four guarded delivery sites staffed by private American contractors. Hours before launch, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation head Jake Wood resigned, saying it was not possible to operate without violating core humanitarian standards. His statement echoed UN objections that the system endangered civilians and lacked independence.

Controversy is growing over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s selection of a new Shin Bet chief. The appointment was made against legal advice and High Court rulings. Attention has since shifted to the views of the new appointee. In a leaked recording aired by Channel 13, David Zini was heard saying the military “prioritises hostages over victory.”

US border agents detained former hostage Liri Albag at JFK Airport after she was flagged as still missing. She was held for over an hour until Israeli officials confirmed her release and cleared her entry. Albag was held in Gaza for 477 days before her release in a previous deal.

Spain’s foreign minister called for sanctions against Israel, saying the war “no longer has any goal.” José Manuel Albares demanded unrestricted humanitarian access and warned of further diplomatic consequences.

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