Jerusalem, 21 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Google Israel have launched a new three-year program to advance research in core areas of artificial intelligence (AI). Google.org is providing $1 million in funding to support scholarships, research grants, and educational initiatives. The program, led by TAU’s Center for AI & Data Science under Prof. Yishay Mansour, will focus on foundational AI research, including language models, algorithmic efficiency, and privacy.

New initiatives include an honors program for graduate students and the BITS of AI program for teens from Israel’s geographic and social peripheries.

Jerusalem, 21 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli Police arrested two residents of eastern Jerusalem on suspicion of involvement in detonating an improvised explosive device inside a vehicle while it was being driven, police said Sunday.

Officers responded over the weekend to reports of a car accident in which a private vehicle caught fire in the capital. An initial examination found that an explosion had occurred inside the car, apparently caused by an IED. One occupant was seriously injured and evacuated to hospital, and the vehicle sustained heavy damage.

The suspects were arrested shortly afterward, and police are expected to seek an extension of their detention in court.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the incident was terror or criminal in nature.

Jerusalem, 21 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli creator economy platform Humanz has raised $15 million in new funding and completed two strategic acquisitions as it accelerates global expansion, the Tel Aviv-based company announced. The latest round brings total funding to $32 million following 250% year-on-year growth.

Humanz also acquired U.S.-based Ubiquitous and performance marketing platform Bambassadors, moves aimed at strengthening its presence in the American market while expanding its AI-driven capabilities. Founded in Israel in 2017, Humanz has grown rapidly across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States, which has become its main growth engine.

The new capital will be used to enhance AI infrastructure and support additional acquisitions planned for early 2026.

Jerusalem, 20 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Earlier on Saturday, IDF soldiers shot and killed two terrorists who were observed crossing the Gaza ceasefire’s Yellow Line in the northern Strip, according to the Israeli military.

The military stated that forces from the IDF’s 16th Brigade operating in the northern Strip had identified the terrorists, who were subsequently shot dead by the Israeli Air Force.

Jerusalem, 20 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Amid Israeli concerns that Iran is increasing its ballistic missile production, NBC reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to present a new plan for attacking the Iran during his meeting with US President Donald Trump. According to the American network, this information came from a source familiar with the plans and four former American officials who were briefed on the matter. The report also states that Israel is concerned that Iran is renewing its nuclear enrichment sites, but that the threats posed by renewed ballistic weapons and repaired air defences are more urgent.

Jerusalem, 20 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler has stated that Israel is opposed to Ankara’s involvement in the International Stabilization Force in Gaza, although negotiations are ongoing. Güler underlined that Turkey’s “determination and decision regarding participation in the stability maintenance force in Gaza remain unchanged.” “All preparations have been completed, including the military unit that will be deployed,” the Turkish Minister added.

Jerusalem, 19 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — According to the IDF spokesperson, a report was received today regarding a possible kidnapping of an Israeli civilian in Jericho.”Upon receiving the report, IDF forces moved quickly to the scene and began conducting searches in the area. Civil Administration forces worked to establish contact with the civilian, and after contact was established, they located and protected her until she was handed over to security forces. We emphasize that entry of Israeli civilians into Area A territories is dangerous and prohibited by law,” the statement said. The civilian is in good health.

(MFA Spokesperson Press Release)

In the face of overwhelming and unequivocal evidence, even the IPC had to admit that there is no famine in Gaza. Yet the IPC’s report is once again deliberately distorted and doesn’t reflect the reality in the Gaza Strip. It ignores the vast volume of aid entering the Strip because it relies primarily on data related to UN trucks, which account for only 20% of all aid trucks. 

The IPC also disregards the fact that, on average, between 600 and 800 aid trucks enter the Gaza Strip every day, 70% of them carrying food – nearly five times more than what the IPC itself said was required for the Strip. 

Just last week, the US Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) reported that more than 30,000 (!) aid trucks have entered the Gaza Strip since the beginning of CMCC activity, yet these facts are of course missing from the IPC report. 

These enormous quantities of aid are reflected in the reality on the ground: between July and November alone, food prices in the Strip fell by more than 80%.

The Prime Minister’s Office, this afternoon (Friday, 19 December 2025) [translated from Hebrew]:

Today, a meeting of the international mechanism – under American auspices – between Israel and Lebanon took place in Naqoura as planned. With the approval of the Prime Minister and as per a directive from the National Security Council (NSC) Acting Director, NSC Deputy Director for Foreign Policy Dr. Yosef Dreznin participated in the meeting.

The meeting is a continuation of the security dialogue aimed at ensuring the disarmament of Hezbollah by the Lebanese army. During the meeting, ways to promote economic projects were discussed in order to underscore the mutual interest in removing the Hezbollah threat and ensuring sustainable security for residents on both sides of the border.