In just a few days, Israel Katz has declared victory over Hezbollah, fumbled the presentation of his director-general and driven the army chief to distraction – all to the delight of the prime minister ■ The lid has finally been lifted from the vipers' nest that is Netanyahu's bureau ■ And Smotrich can look back on an excellent week

The Israeli prime minister is on a collision course as he attempts to navigate his ultra-Orthodox partners' demand for a blanket exemption from military service and the vision of the far-right members of the coalition – which will entail recruiting a lot more soldiers ■ Sources close to Netanyahu are celebrating Trump's reelection, but some of the returning president's nominations are much less likely to delight them

According to Palestinian reports, the IDF attacked immediately after trucks entered, so it remains unclear whether they reached their destination

ISRAEL: IDF officer killed in South Lebanon; Two soldiers moderately wounded in drone hit in north Israel ■ LEBANON: Lebanese health ministry: 21 killed, 73 wounded in last day; Israel advancing cease-fire deal in Lebanon as gift to Trump, WaPo reports ■ GAZA: Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crimes over Gaza displacements ■ IRAN: Iran reportedly postponed its attack against Israel to begin negotiations with President-elect Trump

President-elect Donald Trump's emerging cabinet – from Mike Huckabee as ambassador to a Fox News commentator as secretary of defense – looks like a Palestinian nightmare, but is far from a dream team for most Israelis

On October 7 Aviv Atzili's body was abducted to Gaza after he was killed defending his kibbutz from Hamas' assault. His wife, Liat, who was taken hostage and later released, says that though Aviv's body is still in the enclave, those protesting to free the hostages must focus on the living