The Times of Israel is liveblogging Wednesday’s events as they unfold.

The Hasidic Agudat Yisrael faction’s rabbinic leadership ends a meeting on the bill to regulate ultra-Orthodox military conscription and exemptions without using a statement against the legislation, in what Hebrew media outlets describe as a surprise move.

Agudat Yisrael sources quoted quoted by the Haaretz daily say that the faction, part of the United Torah Judaism party, is expected to issue a statement saying the rabbis came to a decision but will not publish it, allowing the legislation to advance while they maintain their opposition to sanctions on draft evaders.

An IDF soldier who was seen in a video firing a volley of shots toward Gaza received a sentence of 20 days in prison, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

There is no official word from the army as of yet.

The report says the IDF will weigh whether he will be able to return to combat afterward. The military tells Kan in a statement that the video represents “a grave incident that does not accord with the values of the IDF and with the standards expected of combat soldiers and their commanders.”

The video comes as concern is said to have risen within the IDF’s top brass about inappropriate behavior among troops. Kan reported that this week, the IDF General Staff held a discussion about disciplinary issues, including misuse of weaponry, disobeying orders, and flaunting proper procedure. IDF leadership was reportedly planning to stress discipline among troops.

A man aged around 50 has been killed in an explosion at a factory in Ashkelon.

Medics arrived at the scene after a tank at the factory exploded for reasons that are not immediately clear. They were forced to declare the man dead at the scene.

Syria’s government demands that Kurdish fighters leave the neighborhoods they control in Aleppo following clashes between the two sides, which saw thousands of civilians flee.

The Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces traded blame over who started the deadly clashes on Tuesday, which killed 16 civilians and one defense ministry member.

The violence comes as the two sides have so far failed to implement a March deal to merge the Kurds’ semi-autonomous administration........

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