As per reports, the following are the updates for the Israel-Hamas war as of Friday (20 December):

• Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Thursday (19 December) that he was freezing the promotions of senior officers in the Israel Defense Forces until the army presented him with all the investigations it has conducted into the event since 07 October 2023.
• Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi previously indicated that he would resign upon the completion of the army’s 07 October 2023 probes.
• The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) estimates that northern residents who have been evacuated since Hezbollah began cross-border attacks on 07 October 2023, will be able to return to their homes in three months, i.e., by 01 February 2025.
• The UN General Assembly has approved a resolution asking the UN’s highest court to state what Israel’s obligations are in Gaza and the West Bank, to provide humanitarian assistance essential for the survival of Palestinian civilians. The US, Israel’s closest ally, voted against, the resolution.