This time, the Foreign Press Association of Journalists in Israel has also taken to the front lines to demand an explanation for why, once again, five journalists were killed in Gaza while they were near the hospital complex in southern Gaza. It “demands immediate clarification from Israel following the killing of journalists in Gaza” and calls for an end to the bombing of journalists in Gaza. And as usual, the explanation is worse than the truth: according to an Israeli official, the attack was intended to destroy a camera Hamas was using against Israel, while two cannon shots fired by the IDF killed 14 people on live TV, including the five journalists.
A video documents Israel’s attack, which targeted ambulances and civil defense personnel as they recovered bodies and wounded after the bombing of the Nasser medical complex in Khan Younis.
The journalists killed are: Mohammed Salama (Al Jazeera cameraman); Hossam Al-Masri (Reuters photographer); Mariam Abu Daqqa (Palestinian journalist); Moaz Abu Taha (photojournalist). This brings the death toll to over 200 journalists killed in Gaza since October 2023, the deadliest media conflict in modern history. Mariam Abu Daqqa, like other Palestinian journalists killed in recent days, fearing her death, had written a farewell letter to her son.
Yesterday in Jeddah, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan chaired an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The meeting will focus on the ongoing Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people and Israel’s decision to expand operations in Gaza.
The Iranian Foreign Minister meets with his Egyptian counterpart in Jeddah. The Saudi Foreign Minister: “We condemn the Israeli Prime Minister’s statements regarding the so-called Greater Israel vision.” “The international community must reject Israel’s declaration of its intention to impose complete control over the Gaza Strip.”
The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation: “We condemn Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza and its policies of annexation, settlement, and assault on holy sites.”
American sources report that preparations are underway for an imminent military attack in the Middle East region. The United States has begun transferring THAAD missile defense systems from bases in the region to Israel. Iran warns: Tehran threatens that any country that aids or supports Israel in an attack against Iran “will be severely punished.”
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzade: “Our 12-day war was no ordinary threat. The United States supported this war with all its might.” “If the war with Israel had lasted 15 days, Israel would not have been able to intercept a single missile we launched in the last three days.” The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards: “Our forces are fully prepared for war. If the Zionist regime repeats its attacks, it will receive a harsher response than before.”
US envoy Tom Burke and special envoy Morgan Ortegus are in Israel and met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior officials to discuss Lebanon and Syria, according to a source familiar with the details. The US government expects Israel: “If Lebanon takes action against Hezbollah, step back.” Senator Lindsey Graham joined US dignitaries in Lebanon: “Disarming Hezbollah means economic aid” to the south without disarming Hezbollah. The Gulf states have made it clear to Lebanon: “We will not help with reconstruction.”
Alexander Stubb, President of Finland: “It is a failure of humanity not to have taken control of the situation in Gaza. What Israel is doing violates all humanitarian rights.”
The Russians are withdrawing their diplomatic representatives from Israel. On August 23, the special Tu-214SR plane, registration RA-64527, used by Vladimir Putin to reach Sarov, landed at Ben Gurion Airport. According to Channel 13: “Russia is withdrawing its diplomatic representatives from Israel. Several flights to Tel Aviv have been operated so far, and the diplomats have already been evacuated.”
In Lebanon, Amal and Hezbollah have postponed the demonstration scheduled for tomorrow, while the government and army will have their Hezbollah disarmament plan ready by September The army has not requested an extension of the deadline for Hezbollah’s disarmament. The Prime Minister’s Office: “Israel is ready to support Lebanon and its efforts to disarm Hezbollah. In Israel, it added: : If Lebanese security forces take steps to disarm Hezbollah, Israel will be prepared to gradually reduce its presence in southern Lebanon (in five forward positions).
A Royal Air Force A400M cargo plane from Akrotiri Air Base in Cyprus lands at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, likely to deliver military equipment. And we also learn that, despite Turkey’s claims, 62 ships from Ankara and Cairo arrived in Israeli ports in the third week of August.
The Israeli website Walla reports an opinion poll conducted by the Agam Institute: “73.79% of Israelis favor ending the war and concluding an exchange agreement. Two-thirds of Israelis believe the war is being waged for political reasons. 64% of soldiers believe the war is being managed according to political calculations. 40% of regular and reserve soldiers are declining in their motivation to serve.”
According to Maariv, “Political officials estimate that a new venue for the negotiations will be identified within two or three days.” Israeli media reported: “The obstacle to completing the agreement is not the location of the negotiations (Doha, Cairo, Rome, Paris), but rather Netanyahu. What is needed is for Netanyahu to say yes to the proposal to which Hamas has already said yes.”
Sources close to Hamas security forces say that four people were executed this morning on charges of collaborating with Israel and passing on information that led to the elimination of Hamas militants. Their names were published in a unique move, and, more importantly, one of those executed is a woman: Raad Ouni, 55, from Nusseirat, a former intelligence officer for the Palestinian National Authority security forces; Munas Khaled, 45, from the Sheikh Radwan area of Gaza, a truck driver; Kamal Rabia, 40, from Shujaiya; Rasha Tarek, 32, from Beit Hanoun, who worked for a humanitarian organization.
And Hamas is also calling for intervention by Arab and Islamic nations to pressure the US administration and countries supporting Israel to immediately cease the war in Gaza and to use all forms of political, diplomatic, and ethical pressure. Economic pressure is being used to achieve this goal.
The Palestinian Representative to the United Nations: “Israel seeks to control the Gaza Strip to prevent the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state. We strongly condemn the Israeli Prime Minister’s statements regarding the vision of a ‘Greater Israel.’ Israel’s new settlement project would lead to the separation of Jerusalem and constitute the annexation of the West Bank. We must work to end the barbaric war against the Palestinian people and stop the bloodshed in Gaza.” The spokesperson for the Civil Defense Authority in the Gaza Strip: “We demand an end to attacks on medical facilities and the entry of medical supplies.”
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 4:00 PM on August 25. On August 22, the Israeli Air Force successfully intercepted a drone launched from Yemen, and a second reportedly disintegrated in flight. On August 24, the IDF launched a series of new strikes on Sana’a.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir watched the Israeli Air Force strike against the Houthis in Yemen from the IAF command center at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv. Katz’s office released an image from the command center. The strikes reportedly hit a military facility near the presidential palace, a fuel depot, and two power plants.
The Israeli Defense Ministry is investigating whether the ballistic missile launched by the Houthis in Tel Aviv last week was armed with a cluster munition and/or a MIRV similar to those used by Iran during the Twelve-Day War.
IDF troops seized weapons during several nighttime raids in southern Syria last week, the Defense Ministry said. Soldiers from the 474th Golan Regional Brigade searched several sites where, according to the army, they found weapons caches, including Russian anti-tank missiles, Kalashnikov assault rifles, explosive devices, and other equipment. Additionally, the army said that field investigators from the 504th Intelligence Directorate arrested and interrogated several suspects in the area.
On August 25, an 11-man Israeli military forces, vehicles and over 60 men, infiltrated the town of Beit Jann, in the Damascus countryside, arresting six people from the town.
On August 22, the Israeli army attacked the town of Dayr Kafya in Tyre. In southern Lebanon, between August 22 and 25, an Israeli helicopter dropped a bomb near a resident as he was moving furniture from his home in the town of Kfar Kila, causing no injuries. An Israeli plane dropped a bomb on a vehicle in the town of Meis al-Jabal and another on the town of Kafarkila, in southern Lebanon.
An Israeli incursion took place on the hill of Jabal al-Balat. A group of Israeli soldiers entered the “Harb” granite and stone factory, located on the Markaba-Adaisseh road, where they thoroughly searched it and posted a notice on the door addressed to the factory owner.
An Israeli drone targeted a car in Sarbeen. Fortunately, it missed. A new Israeli drone attack in Tebneen targeted a vehicle in a shop.
Egypt has begun moving armored vehicles to the Gaza border.
As of 4:00 PM on August 25, 58 people had been killed in Israeli shelling in the Gaza Strip, including five journalists. 308 people were injured.
Israeli tanks are reported to have advanced towards the Sabra area of Gaza. Al Jazeera is broadcasting footage it claims shows IDF tanks in the Sabra area, in central Gaza City, near the Zeitoun area, where the army has been operating for over a week. The IDF has stated that it is operating on the outskirts of Gaza City in preparation for a major offensive aimed at capturing the entire city. Tens of thousands of reservists are expected to report for duty on September 2 for the offensive, which is likely to begin in the coming weeks. The IDF launched a heavy raid near the Shuja’iyya position, east of Gaza City.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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