There are no immediate plans for the military to enter Hamas-controlled Gaza, and Israel is willing to give time for the U.S. plan to move forward, Israeli officials said. Moving ahead with any war plans would be a decision to be made by Israel’s political leaders, another Israeli official said.

The Israeli leader has vowed to spend 350 billion shekels ($110 billion) on developing an independent arms industry to reduce dependency on other countries.

More than 2,500 buildings have been destroyed since the start of the cease-fire, according to a New York Times analysis. Israel says it is demilitarizing Gaza.

Israel will compete in Eurovision’s first semi-final to take place in Vienna in May, as the contest faces its largest-ever boycott over Israel’s participation.

Sporadic clashes between the Israel Defense Forces and Gaza militants -- plus deadly IDF strikes -- continue despite the Gaza ceasefire.

The strikes were the latest in near-daily Israeli military action since the signing of a ceasefire more than a year ago that included a Lebanese pledge to disarm the militant group Hezbollah.

The Israeli military has drawn up plans for a new ground operation inside Gaza, the Wall Street Journal is reporting, citing people briefed on the matter.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed a commission with members chosen in a way that departs from existing law.

Israel has cleared the final hurdle before starting construction on a controversial settlement project near Jerusalem that would effectively cut the West Bank in two.

SYDNEY, Australia — One of Australia’s top writers’ festivals was canceled on Tuesday, after 180 authors boycotted the event and its director resigned, saying she could not be party to silencing a Palestinian author and warned moves to ban protests and slogans after the Bondi Beach mass terror shooting threatened free speech.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview published on Friday that he hopes to "taper off" Israeli dependence on U.S. military aid in the next decade.

Israel recently became the first nation to recognize Somaliland, a tiny breakaway territory within Somalia. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Omar Mahmood, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group based in Mozambique,