Netanyahu has called Gaza City the “last bastion” of Hamas, and his cabinet is set to debate the next phase of a planned offensive on Sunday. A full-scale operation is not expected for weeks, with Israel insisting it intends to evacuate civilians before sending in more ground troops.

Meanwhile a pro-Palestinian flotilla departed Barcelona for Gaza on Sunday, aiming to “break Israel’s illegal siege,” organizers said.

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail at around 3:30 p.m. with activists and supporters on board, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

“Israel [is] very clear about their genocidal intent. They want to erase the Palestinian nation. They want to take over the Gaza Strip,” said Thunberg, hitting out at politicians and governments for “failing to uphold international law.”

“They are failing to do their most basic, legal duties to act, to prevent a genocide, to stop their complicity and support for … the occupation and the genocide of Palestinians,” she said.

Israel to approve E1 settlement to ‘bury Palestinian state’

Israel’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Wednesday he plans to greenlight the E1 settlement project east of Jerusalem in a move he said is aimed at “burying the idea of a Palestinian state”.

Plans to build a new settlement between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim have been frozen since the early 1990s due to international opposition.

The project would separate the northern West Bank from the south, rendering a contiguous Palestinian state unviable.

“Approval of construction plans in E1 buries the idea of a Palestinian state and continues the many steps we are taking on the ground as part of the de facto sovereignty plan that we began implementing with the establishment of the government,” Smotrich said in a statement.

He continued: “After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its best – building, settling and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel.”

Israel Intensifies Gaza Strikes, 123 Killed in 24 Hours/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli air and ground assaults on Gaza City have killed at least 123 people in the past 24 hours, the highest daily toll in a week. While Hamas leaders hold talks in Cairo over a potential ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Palestinians should be allowed to leave Gaza — a position condemned by Arab states and much of the international community. The conflict, nearing its second year, continues to fuel humanitarian and political crises.

Damaged humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza are scattered on the ground next to the border with the Gaza Strip near the Kissufim crossing in southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Gaza Conflict Quick Looks

Gaza health ministry reports 123 killed in one day.

Netanyahu repeats call for Palestinians to leave Gaza voluntarily.

Israel preparing for possible re-seizure of Gaza City in October.

Heavy bombing in Zeitoun and Shejaia neighborhoods; homes destroyed.

Aid deliveries enter Gaza but remain insufficient, says UN.

Eight more starvation deaths reported; Israel disputes figures.

Hamas negotiators meet Egyptian officials to discuss ceasefire terms.

Talks explore Hamas relinquishing governance but not disarming.

Palestinian Authority says ready to govern Gaza post-war.

Conflict has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians since October 2023.

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza move along the border with Gaza Strip in southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Israel Intensifies Gaza Strikes, 123 Killed in 24 Hours

Deep Look

Israeli forces launched a major assault on Gaza City on Wednesday, killing at least 123 people in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s health ministry — the deadliest single-day toll in a week. The strikes came amid stalled ceasefire negotiations in Cairo between Hamas and Egyptian mediators.

Military Operations Intensify

Residents reported intense bombing in the eastern neighborhoods of Zeitoun and Shejaia, where many homes were destroyed overnight. Al-Ahli hospital said 12 people were killed when an airstrike hit a home in Zeitoun. In southern Gaza, tanks flattened several houses in Khan Younis, while Israeli gunfire in central Gaza killed nine people seeking aid in two separate incidents, Palestinian medics said. The Israeli military offered no immediate comment.

In addition to the fighting, Gaza’s health ministry reported eight more deaths from starvation and malnutrition — including three children — bringing the total since the war began to 235, of whom 106 were children. Israel disputes these figures, accusing Hamas of misreporting and stealing aid.

Netanyahu’s Position and International Reaction

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israel’s i24NEWS that Palestinians should be allowed to leave Gaza voluntarily, echoing a stance supported by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“They’re not being pushed out, they’ll be allowed to exit,” Netanyahu said. He challenged other nations to “open their gates” if they truly wanted to help.

The proposal has sparked outrage among Arab states and global leaders, who liken it to the 1948 Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced during the creation of Israel.

Gaza City Takeover Plans

Israeli officials have indicated plans to retake Gaza City, which Israel briefly controlled early in the war before withdrawing. The operation could begin as soon as October. However, its timing leaves room for a potential ceasefire — though diplomatic progress remains elusive.

Netanyahu’s broader plan to expand military control over Gaza has intensified criticism from international humanitarian organizations, which warn that displacement, hunger, and infrastructure collapse are reaching catastrophic levels.

Ceasefire Talks in Cairo

Hamas negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya met Egyptian officials Wednesday to discuss ending the war, delivering aid, and alleviating humanitarian suffering. Egyptian security sources say the discussions include a possible deal in which Hamas would relinquish governance of Gaza and turn over administration to a non-partisan technocratic body, but would keep its weapons until Israel withdraws.

A Hamas official, speaking anonymously, said, “Laying down arms before the occupation is dismissed is impossible,” but added that the group is open to “all ideas” if Israel ends its offensive and pulls out.

Humanitarian Aid: Progress and Gaps

The Israeli military said nearly 320 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza in the past 24 hours through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings. The UN and aid agencies distributed another 320 trucks’ worth of supplies, three tankers of fuel, and 97 pallets of air-dropped aid.

Despite these deliveries, the UN and Palestinian officials insist the supplies are far from enough to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents. Twenty-four nations this week condemned the “unimaginable levels” of suffering and called on Israel to allow unrestricted humanitarian access.

Political Future of Gaza

Arab states and much of the international community want post-war Gaza to be governed by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which currently has limited self-rule in the West Bank. PA Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said the authority is ready to assume full responsibility in Gaza, but only if Hamas hands over its weapons and is excluded from governance.

Hamas has signaled willingness to cede governance to a neutral Palestinian administration agreed upon by all parties, but insists it will not disarm until Israel withdraws. Israel has expressed doubt about the PA’s ability to govern Gaza effectively.

War’s Toll

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has since killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza health officials say.

As fighting rages and ceasefire talks drag on, the human cost of the nearly two-year conflict continues to climb, with civilians in Gaza bearing the brunt of the violence and deprivation.

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