Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “I have ordered immediate negotiations to free all our hostages and end the war on terms acceptable to Israel.” In reality, the Israeli prime minister hopes to achieve his goals by avoiding agreements with Hamas.
According to a Channel 13 investigation: “Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, and Smotrich obstructed prisoner exchange agreements with Hamas at least five times. The government cannot claim to have done everything possible to free the hostages. We didn’t have broad authorization, and sometimes we didn’t have any. Netanyahu imposed conditions when we were close to an agreement. Netanyahu told us he would continue the war for decades.” This information emerged during an interview with an official in charge of the negotiations. He reported that sometimes the changes come while they are on the plane returning from negotiations.
Channel 12 reports that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is threatening to resign from the government if the swap deal is approved.
According to Israeli media, Netanyahu was “impressed” by the plans presented to him for capturing Gaza City: they are “good.” Netanyahu stated that he arrived in the Gaza Strip to approve a plan to capture Gaza City and defeat Hamas. According to unverifiable reports on social media, “as of May 2025, only 17% of Palestinians killed in Gaza were confirmed militants, approximately 8,900 in total. The remaining 83% of the 53,000 deaths were civilians.” If this is confirmed, the level of civilian casualties would be one of the highest in recent history, comparable to that of Rwanda and Srebrenica.
The Headquarters of the Families of Israeli Prisoners: “At a time when an agreement is on the Prime Minister’s table, we will organize a sit-in with the people of Israel in front of Netanyahu’s house in Jerusalem. Enough of the separation, enough of the sabotage. The people of Israel want the prisoners to return home. Prime Minister, replace the Shabbat table with the negotiating table. Our loved ones cannot afford the luxury of waiting another day.” Adding to this news is the report that, according to a Yedioth Ahronoth source, 15 officers have been discharged from the Israeli Air Force due to an anti-war petition.
Yedioth Ahronoth, however, states that there is a possibility that an Israeli delegation will leave for Doha at the end of this week or early next week. All professional sources support the agreement and say that, once the green light is given—that is, Netanyahu’s approval—the deal could be finalized within days. An intelligence official says: “Even if we reach a partial agreement, we could reach a permanent solution, which is to bring everyone back and end the war.”
Tensions between Jordan and Israel. The Jordanian Foreign Ministry: “The Israeli Communications Minister’s statement will not diminish our position in support of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. We condemn the Israeli Communications Minister’s statement regarding the claims that both banks of the Jordan River are part of what is called the Land of Israel.”
A massive brawl at Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda market sparked panic on August 22nd, prompting police intervention.
And now a look at the military scenario, updated at 3:30 PM on August 22nd. In a statement by the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran stated that “any miscalculation by the enemy in confronting a strong Iran will be met with a decisive, swift, and costly response that will make them regret their adventure.”
This message was released on the occasion of “Defense Industry Day,” according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.
Bagheri stated in his message that “Iran has achieved great and honorable achievements in weapons production thanks to the faith, self-confidence, innovation, and continuous commitment of the sons of the believing revolutionary people.” He added that the “Sacred Defense” experience lasted 12 days during the American-Zionist aggression. On August 22, airspace was closed in Khuzestan for military exercises.
The situation along the border lines in southern Syria, particularly in the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra, remained stable and unchanged. The Israeli army moved intermittently between villages and occupied areas, occasionally setting up checkpoints on the roads leading to residential areas. In the latest movements, 10 Israeli vehicles departed from Tel Ahmar and headed towards the Bariga-Kudna road, establishing a checkpoint. Furthermore, another convoy of 10 vehicles entered the village of Ruwaihina before proceeding towards Rasm al-Halabi. Five Israeli vehicles also entered the village of Rafid. An Israeli patrol, supported by two tanks, moved from Adnaniyeh to Ruwaiheena, with the tanks positioned on the outskirts of the village.
It appears that the Israeli government’s movements in southern Syria are now directly influenced by the ongoing Syrian-Israeli-US negotiations, and until the agreements between the parties are clarified, significant changes to the front lines are unlikely.
Journalist Ata Farhat, from the Syrian Golan Heights, revealed a scandal involving the de facto Syrian authorities regarding the Sweida agreement in an interview with the i24 channel: “Damascus has fallen militarily, and Israel is capable of entering it within two hours. What is Ahmed al-Sharaa negotiating? Only his presidency.” He noted that Damascus announced there was no crossing with Israel to Sweida, while the existence of an actual crossing has been confirmed, considering the statement a mere attempt to assuage public anger against al-Jawlani. He called it “propaganda” for al-Jawlani to travel to New York to deliver a speech that would be his first in 60 years, while clarifying that the United States had previously invited Hafez al-Assad and Bashar al-Assad, who declined, and that Bill Clinton had personally traveled to Damascus to meet Hafez al-Assad, who had agreed that the meeting would take place in Switzerland, not Washington.
The Lebanese army has been deployed to the Burj Palestinian refugee camp. Palestinians (from the Fatah Movement) have been called upon to hand over their heavy weapons to the Lebanese state. This order comes as President Abbas (Fatah) is demilitarizing everywhere, despite the Israelis having clearly stated that they will annex his small state in the West Bank and elsewhere.
Israeli attack targeted Mays al-Jabal with red paintballs against an engineering vehicle in the city, “in attempt to instill fear and dissuade people from clearing the rubble of war and rebuilding. “It is official Israeli policy not to allow the reconstruction of southern cities,” Israeli media wrote.
Mohammad Qassem was killed in his home in Aita al-Shaab by an Israeli attack. Mohamed was one of the first to return to the city and built a makeshift home to live here again. Israeli attack on Maroun al-Ras. Another engineering vehicle near Kawneen was damaged in an Israeli attack.
Regarding the situation in Gaza, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said: “We will expand operations to Gaza in the coming days.” According to i24: “Hamas estimates that the Israeli army will not occupy Gaza City.” Maariv, citing a military official: “The challenges in Khan Yunis and Rafah will pale in comparison to those in Gaza City, given the presence of Hamas battalions.”
On August 22, 51 wounded and dead arrived in the Gaza Strip. Hospitals. Extensive destruction following an airstrike by Israeli aircraft on a tent housing displaced people in the Al-Jalaa area of central Gaza City. Targeting operations continued in the Al-Sabra neighborhood. On the morning of August 22, F-16 aircraft conducted bombings against the residences of Abu Adham Abdul Aal, Abu Alaa Abdul Aal, Abu Rami Al-Shami, and Abu Anas Al-Aloul in the Al-Sabra neighborhood. The homes had been evacuated. In the early afternoon, Israeli attacks continued in the Al-Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City.
Artillery shelling targeted the Amr ibn al-Aas school and nearby displaced people’s tents in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City.
The Mujahideen Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack: “Our fighters managed to shoot down an Israeli drone while it was carrying out reconnaissance missions south of the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City.”
In Gaza The Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades in the south: “We, in coordination with the Al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, shelled a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles near Al-Filla Street, north of the city of Khan Yunis, using standard 60 mm mortar shells.” A child died from malnutrition at the Nasser Medical Complex. Israeli shelling was reported near the Ibad al-Rahman Mosque in the Khan Yunis camp, southern Gaza Strip.
Chief of Staff Zamir held a meeting and visited the city of Tulkarem, in the northern West Bank district where he declared: “The mission in Judea and Samaria is clear: to counter terrorism and defend communities.” “The campaign continues, and we are expanding operations in Gaza in the coming days. We are committed to acting responsibly: vigilant, prepared, and at the forefront of operations.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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