Israel at war day 595: What happened in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon?

Hundreds of Gazans crowded next to a bakery in Nuseirat Camp in the central Gaza Strip on Friday, attempting to access bread after limited quantities of flour arrived in recent aid distributions, according to social media posts. 

Footage on X/ Twitter showed frantic pushing and shoving as the individuals in the crowd tried to catch plastic bags full of bread that were thrown over a wall or handed through a small hatch.

تدافع للحصول على الخبز في مخيم النصيرات وسط قطاع غزة بعد وصول كميات محدودة من الطحين pic.twitter.com/WVtBUhK0lN

— ابومالك (@AbouMalek163) May 23, 2025

A Swiss-based NGO has asked authorities to investigate the activities of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed organization that plans to oversee a new model of aid distribution in the Palestinian enclave that the UN opposes.

The United Nations has said the GHF's aid plan is not impartial or neutral, and forces further displacement and exposes thousands of people to harm, and that it will not be involved.

The GHF, which has said it hopes to start work in Gaza by the end of May, told Reuters it "strictly adheres" to humanitarian principles, and that it would not support any form of forced relocation of civilians.

National Unity MK Gadi Eisenkot responded to Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to appoint Maj. Gen. David Zini as Shin Bet chief, in defiance of the High Court ruling, in an open letter published on Friday.

In the letter, Eisenkot called on Zini to "be a leader and inform the prime minister that the right thing to do at this time is to wait for the attorney general's interpretation of the High Court ruling, and then allow the selection of a more experienced candidate for wartime."

A delegation of 80 UN member countries on Thursday signed a declaration saying that they are "committed to upholding international humanitarian law and protecting civilians in armed conflict," citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)'s statement that the Gaza Strip faces the "worst humanitarian crisis," France's UN mission confirmed on Thursday, publishing the statement in full.

"The protection of civilians is not optional. It is a legal obligation under international humanitarian law, and a moral imperative we cannot afford to neglect," the statement read.

The declaration also condemned all acts of violence and threats against humanitarian actors, stating that 2024 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel, with over 360 individuals killed in 20 countries.

Maj.-Gen. David Zini, recently selected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the next head of the Shin Bet, has expressed strong opposition to hostage exchanges in internal military discussions, Channel 12 reported on Friday.

The remarks, reportedly made during closed-door meetings, have sparked concern among hostage families and added to existing criticism regarding his suitability for the post.

Zini also reportedly voiced his stance multiple times over the past year during deliberations about potential hostage deals: “I am against hostage deals; this is an eternal war.”

IDF activity in the Gaza Strip is expected to expand overnight, Walla reported.

Walla quoted the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, which informed residents on Friday that military activity, including sounds of explosions, will likely be heard overnight. 

This is a developing story.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his decision to appoint Maj.-Gen. David Zini as the next head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) in a video posted to X/Twitter on Friday. 

Netanyahu stated, "I’ve been following General Zini for all these years; I’ve seen him in many meetings, I’ve heard him speak. When I read the report he wrote six months before the [October 7] massacre, he saw things clearly. He warned precisely that there would be a ground invasion that would catch us by surprise, and that we need to reassess."

Netanyahu stated that he "was very sorry that this report didn’t reach me. But I can also say that I was glad that someone truly warned, raised the alarm, and saw everything that needed to be seen. This isn’t new; it wasn’t just a one-time meeting. It’s really an impression of a highly accomplished general with a wealth of experience, who has held every position in the chain of command."

One rocket fired from the Gaza Strip was intercepted by the Israeli air force on Friday, the military said.

As a result, sirens sounded in several Gaza border communities, and no injuries were reported.

Palestinian faction leaders in Syria, formerly aligned with the old regime and backed by Tehran, allegedly left Damascus after facing harassment and property seizures by the new government, Saudi-based newspaper Al-Arabiya reported on Friday.

This report follows US President Donald Trump's meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa earlier in May.

During the meeting, Trump made several demands to Sharaa, including to "tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria, deport Palestinian terrorists, help the US to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, and assume responsibility for ISIS detention centers in the northeastern parts of the country."

The fifth round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran began on Friday in Rome, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

The current round of negotiations holds particular importance due to firm and conflicting positions among the involved parties. Iran has stated that it will not agree to halt uranium enrichment.

The US maintains that uranium enrichment must be fully stopped and has expressed willingness to discuss the interpretation of "dismantling the nuclear program."