Weekly bulletin of the most important news from Gaza: August 10-16, 2025

Sawa News Agency publishes a detailed weekly bulletin highlighting the most important field and political developments related to the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Israel, covering the period from August 10 to 16, 2025.

August 10

 Netanyahu: 5 Steps to End the War in Gaza

On Sunday evening, August 10, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined five steps he believes could lead to ending the war in Gaza.

He stated in a press briefing: “There are five steps to end the war:(Disarmament of Hamas, Release of all hostages, Complete dismantling of Hamas, Establishment of a security perimeter and Creation of a new governing system in Gaza )but not an Israeli one.”

Netanyahu emphasized that Israel’s goal is not to occupy Gaza but to “liberate” it. He added:

“We do not want to see Hamas or the Palestinian Authority in Gaza. We want a peaceful civilian administration.”

He continued: “Since Hamas has refused to disarm, Israel has no choice but to complete the mission. Our policy during the war is to prevent a humanitarian crisis, and we have delivered 2 million tons of aid to Gaza since the war began.”

Netanyahu concluded: “Israel has no option but to continue the mission and eliminate Hamas, given the group’s refusal to lay down its arms.”

 Eight European countries reject Israel’s plan to occupy Gaza.

Eight European countries, on Sunday, August 10, 2025, expressed their rejection of Israel’s plan to occupy the Gaza Strip, stressing that it should be part of the State of Palestine alongside the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

This came in a joint statement by the foreign ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain.

The ministers said they “strongly condemn the recent announcement by the Israeli government to intensify the occupation and military attack, including in Gaza City.”

The foreign ministers warned that the decision to occupy Gaza “will only deepen the humanitarian crisis and put the lives of the remaining hostages at risk.”

The UN Security Council discusses Gaza reoccupation.

On the evening of Sunday, August 10, 2025, the UN Security Council convened an emergency session to address the expansion of the aggression against our people and the occupation’s decision to reoccupy the Gaza Strip.

Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, said that Israel’s latest decision threatens to ignite another horrific chapter in the conflict.

For his part, the representative of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva stated that this is no longer an imminent hunger crisis, but rather a full scale famine in Gaza, adding: “The atrocities could worsen following Israel’s expansion of its operations in Gaza.”

He continued: The lifeline is collapsing as hostilities, displacement, and the shortage of aid persist.

Details of Israel’s Gaza occupation plan.

Israel’s Broadcasting Authority revealed a military plan aimed at full control of Gaza City, expected to last at least six months.

The plan includes starting with the evacuation of residents to a shelter center in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, within two weeks a process estimated to take about a month and a half before the launch of the ground maneuver inside the city.

To implement this stage, the Israeli government decided to quadruple the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into the Strip from 300 trucks a day to 1,200, in addition to intensifying airdrops and building more distribution centers in cooperation with U.S. institutions.

The Israeli forces are preparing to deploy six military divisions in the operations: Divisions 162, 36, 98, the Gaza Division, 99, and 146, with Division 146 expected to begin its deployment within a month, followed later by Division 98.

According to security estimates, the siege of Gaza City will begin on October 25, with Israeli forces entering the city if negotiations on the hostage file fail, amid expectations that control will last for at least six months.

UNRWA: Gaza’s babies running out of diapers.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned on Sunday of a severe shortage of diapers and hygiene products for children in Gaza, stressing that providing these supplies is “crucial” to maintaining their health.

In a post on the “X” platform, the agency stated: “Around 300 million diapers are sold worldwide every day, while in Gaza there is an extreme shortage of diapers.”

It added: “Providing essential supplies, including diapers, soap, and wet wipes, is vital for children’s survival and health.”

The agency continued: “This can only be achieved through the United Nations, including UNRWA.”

Gaza: Only 14% of needed aid trucks entered.

The Government Media Office in Gaza announced on Sunday that only 1,210 aid trucks entered the Strip over 14 days, out of the 8,400 trucks needed to address famine during the same period equivalent to just 14% of actual needs.

In its statement, the office said: “The total number of aid trucks that entered Gaza over 14 days was only 1,210, out of the required 8,400 trucks.”

It added: “What entered amounts to about 14% of the actual needs, as the occupation prevents the entry of aid trucks in sufficient quantities, continues to close crossings, and undermines the work of humanitarian organizations.”

Israeli army to remain in northern West Bank camps until year’s end.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced on Sunday, August 10, 2025, that Israeli occupation forces will remain inside camps in the northern West Bank until at least the end of the current year.

In a statement, Katz claimed that “the refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams were terror greenhouses, funded, armed, and directed by Iran as another front against Israel, from which armed operations were launched across the West Bank.”

He added, “Following my field tours and meetings with officers and soldiers, I instructed the Israeli army to change its policy.”

Katz continued, “The Israeli army launched a severe attack against the refugee camps, evacuated residents, eliminated militants, dismantled and destroyed terrorist infrastructure, and will remain inside the camps at this stage under my order until at least the end of the year.”

Gaza toll: 61,430 killed since October.

The Gaza Ministry of Health announced on Sunday, August 10, 2025, that the death toll from the Israeli aggression has risen to 61,430 martyrs and 153,213 injuries since October 7, 2023.

In its daily report, the ministry stated that 61 martyrs (including 2 whose bodies were retrieved) and 363 injuries were received at Gaza hospitals in the past 24 hours.

Regarding victims killed while seeking aid, the ministry confirmed that in the past 24 hours, hospitals received 35 martyrs and 304 injuries, bringing the total number of “breadwinner martyrs” who arrived at hospitals to 1,778 martyrs and more than 12,894 injuries.

In addition, Gaza hospitals recorded 5 deaths in the past 24 hours, including 2 children, due to famine and malnutrition, raising the total to 217 deaths, of whom 100 were children.

Arab League holds emergency meeting on Palestine.

The Council of the Arab League, in its extraordinary session at the level of permanent representatives, convened on Sunday under the chairmanship of Jordan, the current president of the Council, at the request of the State of Palestine and with the support of member states.

The meeting was attended by Ambassador Saeed Abu Ali, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories.

Economic strike in solidarity with Israeli captives.

 

On Sunday, August 10, 2025, families of Israeli captives, in a press conference held in front of the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tel Aviv, called for a nationwide strike in the country’s economic sectors next Sunday.

They indicated that the strike will likely include private companies, organizations, unions, and individuals, urging heads of Israel’s economic sectors to paralyze the labor market “in solidarity with the abductees.”

Addressing the Israeli public, the spokesperson for the captives’ families herself the mother of an Israeli held in Gaza said: “Please do not remain silent. I know hearts ache with us, but that is not enough. Silence kills.”

She added: “That is why I am here today to call for what I have avoided until now turning to the heads of the economic sectors, as they have the power. Your silence is killing our sons.”

Ben Gvir calls for immediate overthrow of Palestinian Authority.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said on Sunday, August 10, 2025, that he will urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming cabinet meeting to take practical and immediate measures aimed at overthrowing the Palestinian Authority.

Ben Gvir added that the response to what he described as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s “delusions” about establishing a Palestinian state should be the destruction of the “terror authority” he leads, as he called it.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian leadership is seriously considering the option of transforming the Palestinian Authority into a state and unilaterally declaring it during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly conference in New York, scheduled for September 2025.

This move is based on a forthcoming constitutional declaration defining the state’s borders and foundations, coinciding with the setting of a date for the Palestinian National Council elections even without national consensus as a symbolic political step coming nearly 32 years after the signing of the Oslo Accords.

5 new famine deaths in Gaza, including two children.

Hospitals in the Gaza Strip recorded five new deaths, including two children, in the past 24 hours as a result of starvation and malnutrition.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, this brings the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition to 217, including 100 children.

KAN: Possibility of Gaza deal still open.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation “KAN” revealed on Sunday, August 10, 2025, the latest updates on ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip and a potential prisoner exchange deal.

KAN explained that the U.S. administration, along with mediators, is pressuring Hamas and Israel to return to the negotiating table before Israel launches its operation to occupy the Gaza Strip.

It added, citing sources, that the door has not been closed to the possibility of reaching a deal, while Israeli security agencies believe that occupying Gaza City would take at least six months.

Regarding the plan to occupy the Gaza Strip, KAN said that as part of preparations for the ground maneuver, Israel decided to significantly increase humanitarian aid to the Strip in order to reduce international criticism of expanding the fighting and to pave the way for evacuating residents to the south.

Airstrike targets falafel stand in Sabra, kills 5 martyrs.

Five Palestinians were martyred on the evening of Sunday, August 10, 2025, in an Israeli airstrike targeting a falafel stand in the Sabra neighborhood in southern Gaza City.

Five Journalists Killed, Including Al Jazeera Correspondents in Gaza.

Al Jazeera correspondents Anas Al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqa, along with three accompanying cameramen from the channel’s crew, were killed on Sunday evening in Gaza City following an Israeli airstrike that targeted a journalists’ tent near Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza.

Local journalists reported that an Israeli drone targeted the tent, which housed Palestinian journalists including Al-Sharif, Qreiqa, and their colleagues.

In the same context, Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, confirmed that the bombing of the journalists’ tent in front of the hospital gate resulted in the death of seven individuals, five of whom were journalists.

August 11

Australia to Recognize Palestine in September.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday, during a press conference, that “peace can only be temporary until the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine is fully realized,” affirming that Australia “will recognize the Palestinian people’s right to have their own state.”

Albanese indicated that he had received assurances from the Palestinian Authority that “Hamas will have no role in any future Palestinian state,” adding that there is a real opportunity to work toward this path, and that Australia will cooperate with the international community to seize it.

WHO Warns Against Israel’s Plan to Occupy Gaza.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Israel’s plan to fully occupy the Gaza Strip is “extremely concerning” and would put more children at risk due to malnutrition and lack of healthcare.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on his account on the “X” platform last night that “Israel’s plan to expand its military operations in Gaza is extremely concerning, given the already dire humanitarian and health situation across the Strip.”

He stressed that “further military escalation will put even more children at risk due to malnutrition and the lack of healthcare.”

Germany Halts Arms Exports to Israel Over Gaza Plan.

Germany confirmed on Monday, August 11, 2025, that its decision to halt arms exports to Israel came in response to Israel’s plan to expand its operations in the Gaza Strip.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in an interview with the German public broadcaster ARD: “We cannot provide weapons in a conflict that is currently being pursued solely by military means. We want to help diplomatically, and that is what we are doing.”

Merz added: “Expanding Israel’s operations in Gaza could cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians and would require the evacuation of the entire city of Gaza.”

Journalist Death Toll in Gaza Rises to 238.

The Government Media Office in Gaza announced on Monday that the number of journalist martyrs has risen to 238, following the massacre committed by the Israeli occupation on Sunday. This came after the announcement of the martyrdom of journalist Mohammed Al-Khaldi, who worked with the “Sahat” platform and was the sixth journalist killed in the horrific massacre, during which the occupation also assassinated five other journalists.

Smotrich: Parts of Gaza Must Be Under Our Sovereignty.

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the occupation of “large parts” of the Gaza Strip and for establishing settlements there.

In statements to “Kan” Radio, part of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, Smotrich said: “My plan is for large parts of Gaza to be under our control and sovereignty, and we can also settle there.”

The leader of the Religious Zionism party claimed that “this is the only way to maintain security. This is not the Prime Minister’s plan, I understand that.”

Israeli Soldier Injured by Sniper Fire in Northern Gaza.

The Israeli occupation army announced on Monday morning that one of its soldiers was wounded by sniper fire in the northern Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the army said: “A soldier was lightly injured on Sunday by sniper fire in the northern Gaza Strip.”

It added that the soldier was serving in the 401st Armored Brigade and was evacuated to receive medical treatment.

Rising Death Toll from Famine and Malnutrition in Gaza.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Monday the registration of five new deaths over the past 24 hours due to malnutrition, including a child, amid the ongoing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Strip.

According to the ministry, the total death toll from famine and malnutrition has risen to 222, including 101 children, amid warnings of a worsening health crisis and shortages of food and medical supplies.

Netanyahu Announces Gaza War Nearing Conclusion.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that Israel is “on the verge of ending the battle” in Gaza, noting that the main goal in the next phase is to recover all hostages held by Palestinian factions, whether alive or the bodies of the dead.

In media statements, Netanyahu said his government is “fully committed” to bringing all hostages back to Israel, stressing that this issue is a top priority for the political and military leadership.

Macron Slams Israel’s Gaza Plan: “The War Must Stop Now”

French President Emmanuel Macron launched a strong attack on Monday, August 11, 2025, against Israel’s plan to occupy the Gaza Strip.

Macron said in press statements that Israel’s plan for Gaza is a “guaranteed disaster” and carries “unprecedented danger.” He added, “Israeli hostages and Gaza’s residents will be the first victims of this strategy.”

He called on the Israeli government to end the war in Gaza immediately and to implement a permanent ceasefire.

Italy: Open to Possibility of Imposing Sanctions on Israel.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said in an interview published Monday that the Israeli government has “lost its mind and humanity” regarding Gaza. He indicated openness to the possibility of imposing sanctions on Tel Aviv.

Speaking to La Stampa newspaper, Crosetto said: “What is happening is unacceptable. We are not facing a military operation causing unintended damage, but a total denial of the law and the values on which our civilization is founded.”

He added: “We are committed when it comes to humanitarian aid, but we must now find a way to force (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu to think clearly, beyond mere condemnation.”

Norwegian Sovereign Fund Pulls Investments from Israeli Companies over Gaza War.

The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global, announced on Monday the sale of its investments in 11 Israeli companies due to the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, which manages the fund, said: “These measures were taken in response to exceptional circumstances. The situation in Gaza represents a severe humanitarian crisis.”

He added: “We are investing in companies operating in a country at war, and recently the situation in the West Bank and Gaza has worsened.”

Zamir: We Are in a New Phase of Fighting in Gaza Now

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Monday, August 11, 2025, that the army is currently at the beginning of a new phase of fighting in the Gaza Strip, noting that this comes in line with the goals set by the Israeli government.

“We are at the start of a new phase of fighting in Gaza; we will develop the best methods, according to the goals set, while maintaining the professionalism and principles we operate by,” Zamir stated.

He added, “The hostages (Israeli captives in Gaza) are in front of our eyes, and we will do everything we can to preserve their lives and bring them back.”

The Chief of Staff said that Israeli soldiers, both regular and reserve, must be given a chance to rest and create pauses that allow the continuation of maneuvers in Gaza in the best possible way, while preserving strength for the future.

He added that “the next assessment of the situation will deal only with people.”

Gaza – 13 Martyrs, Including 8 Waiting for Aid

A Palestinian medical source reported on Monday evening, August 11, 2025, that 13 Palestinians were martyred and several others were injured by Israeli army fire in the Gaza Strip.

The source said that Israeli occupation forces targeted Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid in the Al-Sudaniya area, northwest of the Gaza Strip, killing eight people and injuring others.

He added that eight martyrs were killed when the occupation bombed a group of civilians near Al-Bashir Pharmacy in Hikr Al-Jami area, in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip.

Gaza – Total Number of Aid Trucks Entering Over the Past 15 Days.

The Government Media Office in Gaza revealed on Monday evening, August 11, 2025, the number of aid trucks that entered the Strip over the past 15 days.

In a press statement received by Sawa News Agency, the office said: “Yesterday, Sunday, only 124 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip, most of which were looted and seized amid deliberate security chaos created by the Israeli occupation as part of its ‘engineering starvation and chaos’ policy aimed at undermining the resilience of our Palestinian people.”

It added: “The total number of aid trucks that entered the Gaza Strip over 15 days was only 1,334 out of the expected 9,000 trucks meaning that what entered amounts to about 14% of actual needs as the occupation prevents sufficient quantities of aid trucks from entering and continues to close the crossings and undermine the work of humanitarian organizations.”

August 12

Cairo discusses 60-day temporary truce in Gaza.

The “Cairo News” channel reported that meetings in Cairo are discussing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and reaching an agreement for a temporary truce lasting 60 days.

The channel, citing sources, added that Egypt is making intensive efforts with all concerned parties to return to calm negotiations and achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Earlier today, Tuesday, sources told the channel that a delegation of leaders from the Palestinian Hamas movement, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, arrived in Egypt to consult on the Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

It pointed out that the visit of the delegation comes after a period of stagnation in the negotiation process.

France denounces killing of Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza.

France on Tuesday condemned the Israeli strike that killed a team of Al Jazeera journalists in the Gaza Strip while they were carrying out their media duties.

In a statement issued on behalf of the spokesperson for the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Paris expressed deep concern over the heavy toll paid by journalists in Gaza since the start of the conflict, noting that Israeli strikes have killed more than 200 journalists.

France reiterated its commitment to press freedom, freedom of expression, and the protection of journalists, stressing that journalists must never be targeted, and that international humanitarian law protects journalists just like all civilians.

It also called on Israeli authorities to ensure the safe and unhindered entry of international journalists into Gaza, allowing them to work freely to document the reality of the conflict.

Death toll from Gaza aggression exceeds 61,000.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, that the death toll from the Israeli aggression has risen to 61,599 martyrs and 154,088 injuries since October 7, 2023.

In its daily report, the ministry stated that hospitals in the Gaza Strip received 100 martyrs (including 11 whose bodies were recovered) and 513 injuries in the past 24 hours.

Regarding those killed while seeking aid, the ministry said that hospitals received 31 martyrs and 388 injuries in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of “bread seekers” killed to 1,838 martyrs and more than 13,409 injuries.

The hospitals of the Gaza Strip also recorded 5 deaths in the past 24 hours including 2 children due to famine and malnutrition, raising the total to 227 deaths, among them 103 children.

Halileh agrees to govern Gaza with Arab-Palestinian consensus.

Palestinian businessman Samir Halileh said on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, that he is open to the proposal of being appointed governor of the Gaza Strip as part of a ceasefire agreement.

In an interview with the Ajyal Network, Halileh stated that U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce, later today, the start of final-stage negotiations to end the war, which would include a full prisoner exchange and a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army.

He said that what was reported in Yedioth Ahronoth is not new, and that he had indeed received a call months ago from a Canadian “contractor” working with the U.S. administration, regarding the search for someone to manage the Gaza Strip who would be acceptable to all parties as one of the conditions for ending the war.

Halileh added, “I am not a leader of the Palestinian people, and when I received the offer, I discussed the matter directly with President Mahmoud Abbas several times to obtain his support and blessing. What is needed is the blessing of the parties, not their approval, for the proposal to move forward.”

He also noted that he has no direct contacts with Hamas, nor is he required to have such contacts, and that he would act as an implementer of Palestinian, Arab, and international consensus, not as a policymaker.

Halileh further pointed out that Israel has not agreed to his appointment as Gaza’s governor, nor has its approval been requested, and that such approval would not be required if Arab, U.S., and international consensus is reached.

Presidency denies appointing a figure to run Gaza.

A senior source in the Palestinian presidency stated that reports in some Israeli media about appointing a Palestinian figure to administer the Gaza Strip with the knowledge of the Palestinian leadership are false.

The source added that the only body authorized to govern Gaza is the State of Palestine, represented by the government or its agreed-upon administrative committee, headed by a government minister.

The presidential source stressed that any engagement with other arrangements would be considered a deviation from the national stance and aligned with the occupation’s aims of separating Gaza from the West Bank and displacing its residents, affirming that the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory.

Israel releases 10 prisoners from Gaza.

The Israeli occupation authorities on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, released 10 prisoners from the Gaza Strip through the Kissufim crossing east of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

Local sources confirmed that the 10 released prisoners arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.

Ynet reveals details of Egyptian ceasefire proposal for Gaza.

The Hebrew news site Ynet revealed on Tuesday morning, August 12, 2025, details of an Egyptian proposal presented to a Hamas delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

According to the site, Egypt proposed a new comprehensive deal that would include the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli gradual withdrawal under Arab U.S. supervision, and the disarmament of Hamas under the guarantee of mediators and Turkey.

The site reported that Israel sees the chances of acceptance as low, but some of its officials believe the gaps could be bridged.

It added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a shortening of the timetable for occupying Gaza and rejected Hamas’s conditions, which he described as “surrender.”

The report also stated that, according to analysts, the decision to occupy Gaza aims to increase pressure on Hamas to push it toward a deal and to announce Israel’s conditions for ending the war and for the post war stage.

5 dead, including 2 children, due to famine within 24 hours.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Tuesday that 5 people, including 2 children, died due to famine and malnutrition, as recorded by hospitals in the Gaza Strip during the past 24 hours.

The ministry reported that the total death toll from famine and malnutrition has risen to 227, including 103 children.

UN: Over 100 children in Gaza have died from malnutrition.

United Nations humanitarian agencies have called for urgent action after medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported that more than 100 children have died from malnutrition since the start of the war in October 2023.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described on its official website last night the surpassing of 100 child deaths as a “catastrophic milestone that stains the world’s conscience and demands long overdue urgent action.”

The World Food Programme (WFP) noted that more than 300,000 children in Gaza face severe risk, and that over one third of the population reported going without food for days at a time. It stressed that meeting food needs requires over 62,000 tons per month, while the amounts currently allowed in are far below the minimum needed to keep nearly two million people alive.

Israel deducts 110 million shekels from tax funds to compensate collaborators.

The Hebrew Channel 7 reported that Israel deducted about 110 million shekels from Palestinian tax revenues and transferred the funds to compensate 52 collaborators who worked with Israeli security agencies and helped thwart operations against them.

This measure was carried out in implementation of Israeli court rulings that granted these collaborators financial compensation.

The compensation was funded by deducting the amount from clearance revenues that Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, further increasing financial pressure on the PA and complicating the economic situation in the Palestinian territories.

The case underwent a lengthy legal process initiated by plaintiffs who demanded recognition of what they described as “injustice” suffered in Palestinian Authority prisons.

The plaintiffs, represented by attorney Barak Kedem from the law firm “Arbus Kedem Tzur,” claimed they had been subjected to severe torture by PA security forces.

In their testimonies before the court, they alleged details of the torture, including severe beatings, burning with a hot iron, tooth extractions, being hung upside down, sleep deprivation, denial of bathroom access, exposure to extreme cold while naked, being forced into humiliating acts, and even attempted executions in some cases.

Yedioth: Efforts to appoint Palestinian businessman as Gaza governor.

The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth revealed on Tuesday morning, August 12, 2025, that behind-the-scenes contacts have been ongoing for months to appoint Palestinian businessman Samir Halileh as governor of the Gaza Strip.

According to the newspaper, participants in these efforts and documents submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice indicate that this is an attempt to bring someone into Gaza under the sponsorship of the Arab League, someone acceptable to both Israel and the United States, to facilitate reaching the “day after” in the Gaza Strip.

The paper said that an Israeli lobbyist living in Canada, Ari Ben-Menashe, is promoting Halileh for the position.

Ben-Menashe told the paper that the matter has gained momentum in recent weeks due to meetings facilitated by the United States and contacts Halileh has held in Cairo.

Halileh is a Palestinian businessman who previously served as Secretary-General of Ahmed Qurei’s third government and as Chairman of the Palestine Securities Exchange until March of this year.

EU warns: Gaza war becoming more dangerous by the hour.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, said that “the war in Gaza is becoming more dangerous by the hour.”

In a statement posted on the X platform last night, following an emergency virtual meeting of EU foreign ministers, Kallas called for providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, allowing civil organizations access to the Strip, achieving an immediate ceasefire, and releasing the remaining captives.

Kallas stated: “If a military solution were possible, the war would have ended long ago.”

Gaza – 71 killed by Israeli army fire.

Palestinian medical sources announced on Tuesday evening, August 12, 2025, that 71 Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire in several areas of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli special forces abduct Palestinian from central Gaza.

The Prisoners’ Information Office reported on Tuesday evening, August 12, 2025, that an Israeli special forces unit abducted a Palestinian from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

According to a brief statement issued by the office, the special unit kidnapped Ismail Abdul Karim Khattab from the Al-Hakar area in Deir al-Balah last night, transferred him to the Kissufim area, and then moved him into the occupied interior.

August 13

New Zealand PM: Netanyahu’s Gaza Plan Is Unacceptable.

 New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, on Wednesday attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his policy toward the war in the Gaza Strip, stating that he “has gone too far and lost his senses.” Luxon also described the lack of humanitarian aid and the forced displacement of residents in the Strip as “horrific.”

 In his statement, Luxon said that Israel’s plan to attack Gaza City is unacceptable.

 Two days earlier, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, announced his country’s intention to recognize the State of Palestine.

 

 Israel Holds Talks with South Sudan to Relocate Gazans There.

 

The Associated Press, citing six informed sources, reported that Israel is holding talks with South Sudan as part of its plans to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and settle them in the war-torn African nation.

 

The sources did not indicate how far the talks have progressed, but the report noted that if implemented, the plan would mean mass displacement from a region suffering from war and famine to another facing similar conditions. This raises human rights concerns, especially since Israel has previously proposed similar plans to relocate Palestinians to African countries, while the Trump administration pressured several nations to help facilitate the relocation plan.

 

 Israeli Chief of Staff Approves “Central Concept” of Gaza Attack Plan.

 The Israeli army announced on Wednesday morning, August 13, 2025, that Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has approved what it called the “central concept” of the plan to attack Gaza City

.

 During the session, Zamir reviewed the army’s activities so far, including the assault launched yesterday in the Al-Zaytoun area. The “central concept” for the upcoming phases in the Gaza Strip was also approved, in line with the directives of the political leadership.

 

The Chief of Staff stressed the importance of raising troop readiness, preparing to call up reserve forces, conducting refresher drills, and granting a brief respite in preparation for upcoming missions.

 

 Scabies Outbreak and Abuse of Prisoners in Negev Prison.

 The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs reported that scabies has spread widely inside the Negev desert prison due to random transfers between sections and the deprivation of prisoners from using their own bedding.

 

The Commission noted that minor detainees are taken to visits with their heads covered in black bags, in a blatant violation of their human dignity, reflecting the continued harsh punitive policies against prisoners in Israeli jails.

 

 Gaza: 8 Deaths from Famine and Malnutrition in the Past 24 Hours.

 

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Wednesday that 8 deaths were recorded in the Strip due to famine and malnutrition, including 3 children, in the past 24 hours.

 

This brings the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition to 235, including 106 children.

 

 Palestinian Martyred by Settlers’ Gunfire in Duma, South of Nablus.

 

The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that a citizen was martyred on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, by settlers’ gunfire in the town of Duma, south of Nablus.

 

The Ministry said that Thameen Khalil Radha Dawabsheh, 35, was martyred after succumbing to his injuries from bullets fired by settlers who attacked the town of Duma, south of Nablus.

 

 

Death Toll from Israeli Aggression on Gaza Rises to 61,722. 

 The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Wednesday that the death toll in the Strip has risen to 61,722 the majority of them children and women since the start of the Israeli occupation’s aggression on October 7, 2023.

 

In its daily report, the Ministry added that the number of injuries has risen to 154,525 since the beginning of the aggression, while many victims remain under the rubble, unreachable by ambulance and civil defense crews.

 

It noted that 123 martyrs and 437 wounded arrived at Gaza hospitals in the past 24 hours, while the toll since March 18 after the occupation breached the ceasefire agreement stands at 10,201 martyrs and 42,484 injuries.

 Australia: Israeli Starvation Policy in Gaza Is a War Crime.

 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated on Wednesday that Israel’s policy of starving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip constitutes a “war crime.”

 

In an interview with ABC News Australia, Albanese said that starvation and the loss of lives as a result of Israel’s genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip are “completely unacceptable.” He added that Israel’s actions are “unjustifiable” and that the restrictions imposed on the flow of humanitarian aid since March have created a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

 

 South Sudan Denies Talks to Resettle Gaza Residents.

 South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday firmly denied reports of talks between its government and Israel regarding the resettlement of Gaza residents.

 

In a statement, the ministry said that claims of discussions with Israel to resettle Palestinians are baseless and do not reflect the official position of the government.

 UNRWA: One Million Children in Gaza Without Education, Suffering Trauma.

 The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine

Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Wednesday that one million children in the Gaza Strip are deprived of education and are suffering from deep psychological trauma.

 Lazzarini added in a post on the X platform that at least 17,000 children are unaccompanied or separated from their families.

 He noted that at least 100 children have died in Gaza due to malnutrition and hunger, according to Save the Children International.

 

 100 Martyred by Israeli Forces Since Dawn, Including 38 Aid Seekers.

 Since dawn today, 100 Palestinians have been martyred by Israeli army fire, including 61 in Gaza City.

 

Among today’s victims are 38 Palestinians who were waiting for aid in various areas of the Gaza Strip.

 

 Famine and Malnutrition Death Toll in Gaza Rises to 235.

 The Government Media Office in Gaza announced on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, that the number of victims of famine and malnutrition in the Strip has risen to 235, including 106 children.

 According to the office, documented statistics from the Palestinian Ministry of Health show that the 235 recorded deaths from famine and malnutrition are classified as follows:

106 children 129 adults, including: 19 women 75 elderly individuals 35 men over the age of 18

 

August 14

Cairo steps up contacts to resolve Gaza deal disputes.

Egyptian media reported on Thursday, August 14, 2025, that Cairo, which is leading mediation efforts alongside Qatar between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner exchange, “is intensifying its contacts with various parties to overcome points of disagreement and reach a truce agreement that would lead to ending the war.”

This came, according to Cairo News Channel, citing unnamed sources, on the second day after it announced the arrival of a Hamas delegation to Egypt to discuss reviving the indirect negotiations that stalled in late July following a U.S.-Israeli withdrawal.

Mossad chief visited Doha to discuss comprehensive Gaza deal.

The Israeli Channel 12 reported on Thursday, August 14, 2025, that Mossad chief David Barnea visited Doha and met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss Gaza negotiations.

The channel, citing a source familiar with the details, said Barnea stressed the need for mediators to make it clear to Hamas that the Cabinet’s decision to occupy Gaza is not psychological warfare but a serious step.

Meanwhile, Kan news channel reported that a Hamas delegation is expected to leave Egypt today for Doha to continue talks on the mediators’ proposal to reach a comprehensive agreement, according to Israeli officials.

It added that this coincides with a report by Itay Blumental about the plane used by Mossad usually to transport Israeli figures involved in negotiations which landed in Doha.

Haaretz: Talks with Hamas may resume if this condition is met.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing sources, reported that talks with Hamas may resume if the United States and mediators present a new plan that meets Israeli demands.

The sources explained that Israel’s political leadership is determined to proceed with the takeover of Gaza City.

These statements come as Israeli forces continue their military operations in the Gaza Strip, and after the Security Cabinet last Friday approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan for a gradual occupation of the Gaza Strip.

Israel has witnessed a tense week of leaks and public accusations that exposed divisions between the country’s political leaders and its top military command.

Israel expands West Bank settlements to separate them from Jerusalem.

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Thursday the establishment of a controversial new settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, raising concerns among Palestinians and human rights groups that it will undermine plans for a future Palestinian state by effectively splitting the West Bank into two separate parts.

Smotrich said: “This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there will be nothing left to recognize and no one to recognize. Anyone in the world trying today to recognize a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground.”

On Wednesday evening, Smotrich approved plans to build a settlement that would sever East Jerusalem from the West Bank.

Gaza Health Ministry: 61,776 killed since start of Israeli aggression.

The Gaza Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 61,776, the majority of them children and women, since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023.

The ministry added that the number of injuries has reached 154,906 since the start of the war, while many victims remain under the rubble, with ambulance and civil defense crews unable to reach them.

It stated that in the past 24 hours alone, hospitals in Gaza received 54 martyrs (including 4 recovered from under the rubble) and 831 wounded. Since March 18, following Israel’s breach of the ceasefire agreement, there have been 10,251 deaths and 42,865 injuries.

The ministry also reported that in the past 24 hours, hospitals received 22 martyrs and 269 injured from aid distribution areas, bringing the total number of “breadline martyrs” to 1,881 and injuries to 13,863.

Hospitals in the Gaza Strip also recorded 4 deaths in the past 24 hours due to famine and malnutrition, raising the total to 239, including 106 children.

Presidency: E1 settlement plans and Gaza escalation threaten stability.

Palestinian Presidency spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said that the newly announced settlement projects to build 3,401 housing units in the E1 area located between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim along with the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip and the rise in settler violence, will only lead to more escalation, tension, and instability.

He added that all settlements are rejected, condemned, and illegal under international law, especially UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which affirms that settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, are illegal.

Abu Rudeineh held the Israeli occupation government responsible for these dangerous actions and warned of their consequences, noting that this serious settlement announcement coincides with Netanyahu’s recent statements about what he called “Greater Israel.”

He also held the U.S. administration responsible for halting Israel’s actions, stressing that these wars are futile and that such irresponsible and aggressive behavior will only create a reality that violates international legitimacy and international law.

Report: Israeli army preparing to occupy Gaza as Hamas readies defenses.

The Israeli newspaper Maariv reported on Thursday morning, August 14, 2025, that while the Israeli army continues its preparations to occupy Gaza City, Hamas is meticulously preparing for this scenario, posing a major threat through deadly traps ranging from explosive devices to sniper positions and rocket launchers, with its forces remaining heavily present underground and within the city’s neighborhoods.

According to the report, after nearly two years of fighting, the Israeli army has realized that slow progress is the safest approach for its troops, stressing the need to evacuate about 800,000 civilians from urban areas and move them to residential complexes in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis before launching major military operations.

The newspaper added that thousands of reserve soldiers are expected to receive emergency call up orders in the coming days, while the army has already launched a limited offensive in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, with the slow pace of advancement expected to continue for several months.

However, this timeline does not meet the expectations of the political leadership, which is pushing for a rapid and forceful move, using heavy fire and large forces a stance that has sparked internal debate between the military and political echelons.

The army’s operational schedule is expected to be presented this week to Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir for review, with the possibility that the political level may amend the plan, potentially adding pressure on the army and affecting soldiers’ safety.

International organizations: Israel blocking aid to Gaza since March.

More than 100 international organizations announced that most of them have been unable to deliver any humanitarian aid trucks into the Gaza Strip since last March, accusing Israeli authorities of preventing assistance from reaching those in need despite the government’s announcement last month that it would allow goods to enter according to a report by Haaretz on Thursday.

The organizations, which operate in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, said that in just one month there were more than 60 refusals to allow aid entry. This has resulted in millions of dollars’ worth of water, medicine, food, and tents being held in warehouses in Jordan and Egypt, while Palestinians face a severe shortage of food and essential supplies.

They noted that a new procedure that came into effect in March requires all organizations to register with a joint ministerial committee headed by the Director-General of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, setting criteria that allow for rejection or cancellation of registration. These criteria include engaging in political activities, calling for boycotts of Israel, or making accusations aimed at delegitimizing the state.

Egypt demands clarification over ‘Greater Israel’ remarks.

The Arab Republic of Egypt reaffirmed its commitment to establishing peace in the Middle East and condemned what was reported in some Israeli media outlets regarding the so-called “Greater Israel.”

In a statement issued late last night, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for clarifications on the matter, given that it reflects a tendency to destabilize the region, reject the peace option, and insist on escalation.

The ministry stressed that such rhetoric “contradicts the aspirations of regional and international parties who support peace and seek security and stability for all peoples of the region.”

It emphasized that the only path to peace is through a return to negotiations and an end to the war on Gaza, leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution and relevant international resolutions.

15th humanitarian aid convoy from Egypt to Gaza departs.

Cairo News Channel confirmed on Thursday morning, August 14, 2025, that the 15th humanitarian aid convoy from Egypt to the Gaza Strip has departed through the Rafah border crossing, racing against time to meet the growing needs and ease the burden on Gaza’s residents, who are facing difficult living conditions.

The channel reported that the humanitarian aid convoys departing from Egypt to Gaza carry thousands of tons of food, relief supplies, medical items, and fuel.

It added that the Israeli occupation continues to adopt obstructive policies in dealing with aid convoys heading to the Strip, refusing to allow some trucks in for unclear reasons.

Netanyahu outlines 5 principles to end Gaza war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday evening, August 14, 2025, that the Israeli government, during a meeting held a week ago, defined five principles for ending the Gaza war.

In a recorded statement, Netanyahu said: “A week ago, I met with the government and we set five principles to end the Gaza war: disarming Hamas; returning all hostages, alive and dead, without leaving anyone behind; disarming the Gaza Strip — not just Hamas — while ensuring no weapons are manufactured or smuggled into the Strip; establishing Israeli security control over Gaza, including the security perimeter; and forming an alternative civilian government that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority — people who will not raise their children on ‘terrorism,’ will not fund ‘terrorism,’ and will not send ‘terrorists.’”

He added: “These five principles will ensure Israel’s security. This is the meaning of the word victory, and this is what we are working on, and it’s good for everyone to understand it.”

Gaza: 32 killed, including 13 aid seekers, by Israeli army fire

Palestinian medical sources reported on Thursday evening, August 14, 2025, that 32 Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire since the early hours of the day in various areas of the Gaza Strip.

The sources clarified that among the 32 victims, 13 were aid seekers.

August 15

Belgian Parliament considers recognizing Palestine.

The Belgian Parliament, in an emergency session on the situation in Gaza on Thursday evening, discussed ways to reach consensus among the coalition government partners regarding Belgium’s recognition of the State of Palestine.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Belgian Federal Parliament held an emergency meeting to examine the situation in Gaza, which has been subjected to continuous Israeli genocide and starvation for more than 22 months.

It noted that some MPs stressed the need to make progress on the issue of recognizing the State of Palestine before the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Gaza: Heatwave triggers diseases in displacement camps.

The Red Crescent in Gaza warned on Friday, August 15, 2025, that the ongoing extreme heatwave is causing the spread of diseases in displacement camps.

In a statement to Al-Araby TV, it reported that more than 90% of Gaza’s population are living in tents and suffering from unbearable heat.

The Red Crescent added that the Israeli occupation deliberately forces repeated waves of displacement across the Strip, compelling families to move under extremely harsh conditions.

Majority in Israel fear social, economic, and security impacts of Gaza war.

A poll published by the Hebrew newspaper Maariv on Friday showed that a majority of Israelis fear social, personal economic, and security damages due to the ongoing war on Gaza.

According to the survey, 69% said they were concerned about harm to social cohesion, while 26% said they were not.

The second most common concern was personal economic damage, expressed by 66%, compared to 30% who were not worried about this possibility.

Meanwhile, 63% of respondents said they feared security threats inside or outside the country, while 31% said they did not. However, 59% stated they were not concerned about personal, marital, or family harm as a result of the war’s continuation.

Rising toll of genocide victims in Gaza Strip.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the death toll from the genocide war and ongoing Israeli aggression on the Strip has risen to 61,827 martyrs and 155,275 wounded since October 7, 2023.

In its report on Friday, the ministry stated that since March 18 — when Israel resumed its assault on the Strip following the ceasefire agreement — there have been 10,300 martyrs and 43,234 wounded.

During the past 24 hours alone, Gaza hospitals received 51 martyrs, including two bodies recovered from the rubble, and 369 wounded, as a result of the ongoing Israeli massacres and strikes.

Ambulance and civil defense crews continue to face difficulties reaching victims, with many still trapped under debris and rubble, or lying on the streets.

Death of a child from famine in Gaza within the last 24 hours.

Hospitals in the Gaza Strip reported the death of a child in the past 24 hours due to starvation and malnutrition.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health’s report on Friday, the overall toll has risen to 240 deaths, including 107 children, caused by famine and malnutrition in the Strip.

6 martyrs, including two children, in Israeli strike on school in Gaza.

Six civilians, including two children, were martyred and several others injured on Friday afternoon in an Israeli airstrike targeting the Musa bin Nusayr School, which was sheltering displaced people near Al-Ashi carpentry shop in Al-Daraj neighborhood, central Gaza City.

According to emergency services, seven injured people were rescued, some in critical condition, following the strike on Musa bin Nusayr School on Al-Nafaq Street in central Gaza City.

Israeli army launches operation in Al-Zaytoun, east Gaza.

The Israeli occupation army announced on Friday, August 15, 2025, that the 99th Division has launched a military operation in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.

The army stated that the Nahal Brigade and the 7th Brigade are working to “uncover explosive devices, eliminate fighters, and destroy infrastructure,” according to its claims.

Gaza – 47 martyrs, including 16 aid seekers, since Friday dawn.

Palestinian medical sources reported on Friday evening, August 15, 2025, that 47 Palestinians were martyred and others injured in Israeli airstrikes and gunfire across the Gaza Strip since dawn.

According to the sources, among the 47 martyrs, 16 were killed by gunfire near U.S. aid distribution centers in the north and south of the Strip.

August 16

A U.S. updated proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Washington has prepared an updated proposal aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, following Hamas’s talks with mediators in Cairo and after discussions with Israel this week. All parties are currently reviewing the draft proposal, which American and Arab sources have described as creating an “infrastructure to break the deadlock in the negotiations,” according to Israel Hayom on Saturday.

The U.S. proposal outlines a permanent, multi-stage settlement that begins with the plan of the Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and ends with a long-term ceasefire.

The idea behind the updated draft proposal is to “avoid clashing with the Israeli position, which currently insists on a comprehensive agreement rather than a partial deal, while at the same time allowing a ceasefire that would secure the release of part of the Israeli captives in exchange for a halt in fighting,” the Israeli report stated.

The first stage is based on Witkoff’s proposal with minor modifications, stipulating the release of half of the living Israeli captives and the bodies of the dead. During the ceasefire, negotiations would then take place on the terms to end the war, including the disarmament of Hamas, the evacuation of its remaining leaders in the Strip, and the transfer of civilian responsibility to an international body.

The Israeli report further noted that “the new element in the proposal is the start of implementing international civilian administration for the residents of the Strip during the ceasefire period, before reaching final agreements. This essentially means Hamas relinquishing its civilian control in favor of other entities, with the aim of removing Gaza’s civilians from the equation of the war, ending their dependence on Hamas, and beginning the reconstruction of the Strip.”

 

Israel Shows Willingness for Partial Deal with Gaza.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported on Saturday, August 16, 2025, that the Israeli negotiation team has shown readiness to accept a partial deal with Gaza.

According to informed sources, the Israeli negotiation team believes that if an opportunity arises to reach a partial deal that would secure the release of the largest possible number of captives in Gaza, it should be approved.

The sources added that mediators are working to accelerate the pace of talks between Israel and Hamas in order to reach an agreement soon, although current progress suggests the process may take a long time.

A senior official in the Security and Political Cabinet noted that the current proposals for a comprehensive deal include several stages, considering the difference between a comprehensive deal and a partial one as merely a matter of terminology.

The sources also clarified that the mediating countries are making serious efforts to achieve an agreement quickly to halt the planned military operations in Gaza City.

Meanwhile, associates close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that despite his public statements, he does not rule out accepting a partial deal if it is “compatible with Israel’s requirements.”

 

Palestinian PM Visits Egypt to Discuss Gaza Ceasefire.

An official Egyptian newspaper reported that Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa will begin a visit to Egypt tomorrow, Sunday, to hold talks on reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, which is facing ongoing Israeli attacks.

According to Al-Akhbar newspaper on Saturday: “Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty will receive the Palestinian Prime Minister tomorrow, Sunday, at the Cabinet headquarters in New Alamein City (north),” without specifying the duration of the visit.

The report added: “The Egyptian Foreign Minister is scheduled to hold a meeting with the Palestinian Prime Minister to discuss the catastrophic humanitarian and medical situation in the Gaza Strip, along with Egypt’s efforts to reach a ceasefire (between Israel and Hamas) and to ensure the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip.”

 

Sheikh: Ongoing Efforts for the Release of Barghouti and All Prisoners.

The Vice President of the State of Palestine and Deputy Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee, Hussein Al-Sheikh, said on Saturday, August 16, 2025, that imprisoned leader Marwan Barghouti represents a symbol of the Palestinian struggle, and that the Palestinian leadership is making continuous efforts at all levels to secure his release along with all prisoners in Israeli jails.

This came during his visit to the home of Barghouti’s family, reaffirming the Palestinian leadership’s firm stance on the prisoners’ cause as a national priority. He was accompanied by the Head of the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, Raed Abu Al-Homs, the Secretary of Fatah’s Ramallah and Al-Bireh branch, Muwafaq Sahwil, and a number of committee members.

Al-Sheikh stressed that what prisoners are subjected to under Israeli policies amounts to slow execution, which requires intervention by international bodies and organizations to protect them.

 

Israeli Disputes Over How to Handle Hamas’s Shift in Position.

The Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Saturday, August 16, 2025, that “disagreements prevail in Israel over how to deal with the declared change in Hamas’s stance.”

According to the paper, some members of the Israeli negotiation team believe that Israel should not reject talks on a partial deal that could secure the release of ten living captives, thereby saving their lives.

The report added that these officials stress the partial deal option should not be dismissed, and that Israel cannot stick to an “all or nothing” approach when human lives are at stake.

This position is reportedly backed by National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi, but it contradicts the message delivered by Mossad chief David Barnea during his meeting with the Qatari Prime Minister on behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he said that “the partial deal is no longer on the table.”

 

New Toll of Gaza Offensive Victims.

The Gaza Ministry of Health announced on Saturday, August 16, 2025, that the death toll from the Israeli offensive has risen to 61,897 martyrs and 155,660 injuries since October 7, 2023.

In its daily report, the ministry confirmed that 70 martyrs (including 8 whose bodies were retrieved) and 385 injuries were brought to Gaza hospitals in the past 24 hours.

On aid-related victims, the ministry stated that during the past 24 hours, 26 martyrs and 175 injuries among those seeking aid arrived at hospitals, bringing the cumulative total of people killed while trying to secure food to 1,924 martyrs and more than 14,288 injuries.

The report also noted that hospitals in Gaza recorded 11 deaths, including 1 child, due to famine and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, raising the overall total to 251 deaths, among them 108 children.

 

UNICEF: 112 Children Enter Malnutrition Cycle Daily in Gaza.

UNICEF spokesperson Kazem Abu Khalaf warned of a dangerously worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, noting that the rate of children falling into malnutrition has reached 112 children per day.

In a statement on Saturday, Abu Khalaf said: “The number of children who have entered the stage of acute malnutrition has increased by 180% when comparing February (during the truce) with last June,” stressing that “the occupation does not stop at this point, but continues to rise in an alarming manner.”

 

UNRWA: One Million Women and Girls in Gaza Facing Collective Famine.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on Saturday, August 16, 2025, that one million women and girls in the Gaza Strip are facing “collective famine” as a result of the Israeli blockade and the ongoing war of extermination since October 7, 2023.

In a post on the U.S.-based platform X, the agency stated: “One million women and girls are facing collective famine, in addition to violence and abuse.”

 

Euro-Med Monitor: Israel Destroyed 400 Homes in Gaza City in the Past 6 Days.

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor said on Saturday that Israel destroyed around 400 homes in Gaza City’s Al-Zaytoun neighborhood over six days, using booby-trapped robots and airstrikes.

In a statement, the Monitor reported that “Israeli occupation forces have been leveling the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood to the ground for six consecutive days,” noting that they “destroyed about 400 homes by blowing them up with booby-trapped robots and bombing them with warplanes, as part of a large-scale military assault.”

It explained that “the military attack on Al-Zaytoun, which began on August 11, comes within Israel’s declared plan to impose full and illegal control over Gaza City, and to forcibly displace its residents along with displaced people from northern Gaza, estimated at about one million into isolated and confined areas in the southern Gaza Strip.”

 

Gaza Health Ministry: Starvation Death Toll Rises to 251, Including 108 Children.

The Gaza Ministry of Health announced on Saturday, August 16, 2025, that the death toll from Israel’s starvation policy in the Gaza Strip has risen to 251 deaths, including 108 children.

The ministry said: “Gaza hospitals recorded 11 deaths within the past 24 hours, including one child, due to malnutrition.”

 

Israel: Wide-Scale Strike and Disruptions Tomorrow Called by Hostages’ Families.

Many areas across Israel will witness nationwide disruptions and large-scale protests tomorrow, Sunday, organized by the families of Israeli war casualties and the families of hostages held in Gaza. Israeli reports describe this as a “people’s strike” within the framework of a “week of protests.”

According to a report by the Hebrew website Ynet on Saturday, the events of the so-called “grand strike from the bottom up” are expected to begin after dozens of private companies, local councils, universities, and economic institutions announced that they would “allow their employees to take part in the protest activities.”

The report noted that preparations for the protests are enjoying broad and growing support.

 

Israeli Drone Crashes in Gaza’s Al-Rimal Neighborhood.

Hebrew media reported on Saturday morning, August 16, 2025, that an Israeli drone crashed over Gaza City.

According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, an Israeli army reconnaissance drone crashed this morning in Gaza City due to a technical malfunction.

 

Fisherman Killed, Another Injured by Israeli Gunfire off Gaza Coast.

A fisherman was killed and another injured on Saturday, August 16, 2025, by Israeli army gunfire in the waters off Gaza.

According to local sources, Israeli naval boats opened heavy machine-gun fire at a fishing boat off Gaza’s coast, resulting in the death of one fisherman and the injury of another.

 

Israeli Army to Begin Bringing Tents and Shelter Supplies into Gaza Tomorrow.

The Israeli army announced on Saturday evening, August 16, 2025, that starting tomorrow, Sunday, it will begin transferring tents and other shelter equipment into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing. These supplies will then be delivered by the United Nations and international relief organizations to southern Gaza, in preparation for forcibly displacing Palestinians toward that area a step preceding the implementation of Israel’s plan to occupy Gaza City, which the Security Cabinet approved last week.

In a press statement, the Israeli army said that “based on the directives of the political leadership, and as part of the army’s preparations to transfer civilians from combat zones to southern Gaza for their safety, the provision of tents and shelter equipment for the residents of the Strip will be renewed starting tomorrow (Sunday).”

 

Ramallah – Young Man Killed by Israeli Army Fire in Al-Mughayyir.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Saturday evening, August 16, 2025, that 18-year-old Hamdan Mousa Mohammad Abu Alia was killed by Israeli army fire in the town of Al-Mughayyir, north of Ramallah.

The young man had sustained critical injuries during an Israeli army raid on the town earlier in the day.

 

Netanyahu’s Office: We Will Agree to a One-Time Deal Under Our Conditions to End the War.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Saturday, August 16, 2025, that Israel would agree to a one-time prisoner exchange deal, but only according to the conditions for ending the war, which include: “the disarmament of Hamas and Gaza, Israeli security control over the Strip, and the establishment of a governing body that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority, in order to live peacefully with Israel.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli daily Haaretz, citing unnamed sources, reported that Israeli political officials estimate that Egypt and Qatar may soon present a new proposal.

The sources also explained that Israeli officials fear Egypt and Qatar might put forward a proposal for a partial or phased prisoner exchange deal, despite Netanyahu’s public statements.

المصدر : Sawa News Agency - Raghad Samir Ayyad اشترك في القائمة البريدية ليصلك آخر الأخبار وكل ما هو جديد المزيد من Palestine Now - English Weekly bulletin of the most important news from Gaza: August 3-9, 2025 Weekly bulletin of the most important news from Gaza: July 27 to August 2, 2025 Weekly Bulletin of Gaza's Top News: July 20–26, 2025 الأكثر قراءة ألبانيز تدعو الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم إلى طرد إسرائيل من مسابقاته بن غفير يطالب نتنياهو بخطوات فورية لإسقاط السلطة الفلسطينية عائلات الأسرى الإسرائيليين تدعو إلى إضراب شامل بالمرافق الاقتصادية الأحد المقبل مظاهرات حاشدة تجتاح عواصم أوروبية احتجاجا على إبادة وتجويع غزة عاجل

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