The Israeli military is tightening its encirclement of Gaza City in preparation for a massive offensive expected to begin within the next two weeks. Tensions are simultaneously soaring in the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority (PA) accuses Israel of a systematic policy to force residents from their land.
Palestinian officials state that the death toll from hunger across the Strip has now reached 289, including 115 children. These fatalities are in addition to Palestinians killed in airstrikes or while searching for food; at least five were reportedly shot and killed near one of the aid distribution centers operated by the General Human Rights Foundation (GHRF).
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which conducted raids on the Yemeni capital Sana’a following recent rocket and drone launches by the Houthis, stated that the advance of tanks into the Sabra neighborhood near central Gaza City is part of military operations to prepare for the conquest of the entire city. However, the anticipated major offensive, referred to as ‘X-hour,’ is not expected to commence before September 2nd, when at least 60,000 reservists are scheduled to report for duty. This timeline remains conditional given the volatile domestic climate.
Israel has confirmed a recent White House assertion, acknowledging that it assesses “at least one or two” of the hostages held in Gaza to be in life-threatening condition. According to media reports, officials fear several other hostages held by Hamas are also in desperate need of medical care.
The conquest of Gaza City and the hostage situation will be the focus of a meeting of Israel’s political-security cabinet scheduled for Tuesday. Officials are expected to approve plans for the assault. On the same day, the Hostages Families Forum, which has been demonstrating outside the homes of several ministers, has called for a new major protest in Tel Aviv, anticipating the participation of “hundreds of thousands” of people. Their message, echoed in rallies, is that “there is a deal on the table, but deals don’t last forever: This could be the last chance to save lives and bring back the fallen.”
However, Netanyahu’s government appears unwavering. Brushing aside a proposal from minister Benny Gantz for a national unity government to secure the hostages’ release, it is proceeding with its military campaign as thousands of Palestinians flee Gaza City under heavy fire from Israeli tanks and airstrikes.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis continues to claim lives. Israel is attempting to counter the prevailing narrative, even by using social media; this week the government organized a tour for 10 Israeli and American influencers inside the Strip to “reveal the truth” about Palestinian humanitarian conditions and “refute Hamas’s lies.”
Tension is also escalating in the West Bank, where the situation in the village of Mughayyir has become a flashpoint. Following an attack last week, the Israeli army isolated the area and, according to testimonies cited even by Tel Aviv media, destroyed thousands of olive trees across nearly 30 hectares and arrested a dozen people. The head of the Central Command, General Avi Bluth, had threatened that the village would “pay a high price” for the attack.
The Palestinian account is completely different and is supported by images from the area, which soldiers had closed to the press for days. Bulldozers are seen in action not only destroying olive groves—a form of collective punishment for sporadic attacks by some residents—but also constructing a road. What is happening in the village “is part of a broader campaign taking place in Jenin, Tulkarem, Hebron, and other Palestinian areas” to extend the “Israeli colonial presence,” said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for PA President Abu Mazen.
In a separate development, Palestinian journalist Khaled Al-Madhoun, a cameraman for Palestine TV, was killed last evening after being struck by Israeli forces in northern Gaza. According to a correspondent for the WAFA news agency, Al-Madhoun was targeted in the Zikim area, north of the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian journalists’ union mourned his death, condemned the killing, and emphasized that targeting journalists is a crime committed by Israeli forces in an attempt to obscure the truth.