Starting on August 5, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a series of meetings with military and political leaders to discuss “options for continuing the campaign in Gaza,” his office said. The Prime Minister’s office stated: “The IDF is ready to implement any decision taken by the security cabinet.” Those present at the meetings were: Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.
On August 7, after a preparatory meeting chaired by Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, a Security Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was held, at which it was decided to extend the operation in Gaza. The decision was passed by a large majority. However, the timing of the operation has drawn widespread criticism due to its social implications. Calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers at the end of the summer holidays and the start of the academic year places a considerable psychological and family burden on them, especially since most of them have served for long periods and have family obligations and young children.
The army presented the political leadership with the price Israel is paying for its decision to occupy the Gaza Strip: “Estimates suggest that most of the prisoners will die at the hands of their captors or in air strikes if the operation is expanded.” “The army estimates that progress toward complete occupation of the area will take at least two to three months and that the tunnel clearance operation could continue for about another two years.” The plans presented by the army will be studied over the weekend, on Saturday, and a decision will not be made before the beginning of next week, emphasizing that moving forces toward the occupation of the Strip is not an immediate issue.
Eyal Zamir held a multi-front situational assessment with the General Staff Forum and said at the press conference: “We are approaching the final stages of Operation Gideon’s Chariots. We have achieved and even exceeded the objectives of the operation and continue to act to ensure the long-term security of communities in southern Israel and near the Gaza Strip, as well as communities along all Israeli borders.”
Before the Security Cabinet meeting, Israel received the green light from the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “As long as Hamas remains armed in Gaza, there will be no peace and there will be no peaceful future, because the issue will repeat itself again.” Source: Kan Channel. The US ambassador to Israel: “President Trump respects Israel’s right to take the necessary measures to recover the hostages and end this situation. President Trump recognizes that there are difficult decisions to be made regarding Gaza.”
Meanwhile, Israel has issued a final decision to ban the Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, from the Al-Aqsa Mosque for a period of six months, according to lawyer Khaldoun Najm, after the expiry of his previous ban, which lasted eight days, after he spoke about Gaza in his Friday sermon.
Before the Security Council meeting, a statement was released by the Headquarters of the Families of Prisoners: “We appeal to the Chief of Staff before tonight’s Council of Ministers meeting: ‘Chief of Staff Zamir, do not be complicit in the sacrifice of the prisoners. You are the commander of the people’s army: the will of the people is to end the war and return the prisoners. Remember the values of the army: we leave no one behind.” […] “The truth is clear: 80% of public opinion supports a comprehensive agreement that releases 50 prisoners and ends the fighting. Therefore, there is only one decision that the government can and must take: to implement the will of the people and immediately sign an agreement that releases everyone.” “Any other decision is a betrayal of the will of the people. Any other decision would clearly be inhumane and would lead to disaster for the prisoners and all of Israel.” “The families of the prisoners appeal to military leaders of all levels and ranks not to take any measures that could endanger the lives of the prisoners or prevent them from returning.”
Israel’s Channel 12 also stated, citing Israeli officials, “that the agreement between Israel and Hamas was very close to being signed, much closer than official statements released by Israel suggest.” According to Channel 12 sources: “Contrary to claims circulating in Israel, Hamas did not impose impossible conditions and confirm that the gaps were not such as to justify the failure of the talks. Professional organizations in Israel also share this assessment and agree that there was no real breaking point beyond which it would be impossible to continue. In messages currently being conveyed to the parties in Israel, representatives of the mediating countries state: ‘There were no unbridgeable gaps; the disagreements could have been resolved, including the maps relating to withdrawal and humanitarian issues. We were surprised by Israel’s disappearance from the negotiations and its failure to return. There was a very positive momentum that was interrupted that Friday 12 days ago, and we are trying to bring Israel back to the negotiating table, without success.’ ‘The representatives of the mediating countries make it clear that the negotiations did not fail because of fundamental gaps, but rather as a result of Israel’s decision to break off the talks.’
The US consulting firm Boston Consulting Group has developed a model for the resettlement of Gaza citizens in Somalia at the request of Israeli entrepreneurs, writes the FT. The newspaper notes that the company has calculated several options for the “temporary resettlement” of Palestinians in other countries from an economic point of view.
Teresa Rivera, senior vice president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, told Politico: “The famine, expulsions, and killings in Gaza are very similar to genocide.” Not only are there videos online showing that food parachuted into Gaza was moldy in some cases, but plastic and trash were also found in flour bags from US humanitarian aid distribution centers. US Ambassador to Israel Huckaby on the operations of the Gaza Relief Fund: “The plan is to increase the number of centers to 16 and operate them 24 hours a day.”
And now a look at the scenarios opened by Israel, updated at 3:00 p.m. on August 7. A large shipment of weapons, ammunition, and drones destined for the Houthis was intercepted. A lot of smoke was spotted west of Tehran, in the Mehrabad airport area. It was hit often during the 12-day war.
After discovering a network of tunnels, French forces operating within the peacekeeping forces confiscated weapons from the resistance in Aita Al-Shaab, Lebanon.
From Gazail Ministry of Health in Gaza: “100 dead and 603 wounded have arrived at the hospital in the last 24 hours due to Israeli bombing.” “The death toll in Gaza has risen to 61,258 dead and 152,045 wounded.”
In northern Gaza, the Abu Ali Mustafa Martyrs’ Brigades claim responsibility for shelling Israeli forces stationed on Al-Muntar hill, east of Gaza City, with mortar rounds in collaboration with the Al-Quds Brigades. Drone strike kills Hamas leader near Zamzam mosque in Jabaliya.
Palestinian sources report the death of five people in an Israeli bombing of a tent housing displaced members of the Rajila family west of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
Israeli air raids, with several targeting locations east of the city of Khan Younis, reportedly killed three people near the Asfour station in the town of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis. Two others were killed near the tent near Dream Hall west of Khan Yunis. Injuries were reported following Israel’s bombing of a tent for displaced persons in Al-Mawasi, west of Khan Yunis.
IDF forces stormed the city of Al-Bireh, in the Ramallah governorate, in the central West Bank. Settlers stormed Mount Ebal in Nablus.
The city and camp of Jenin enter their 200th consecutive day of ongoing invasion. The city and camps of Tulkarem enter their 194th consecutive day of ongoing invasion. The Israeli flag is raised in the Tarsala settlement, near the city of Jaba south of Jenin, under the leadership of Minister Smotrich, after nearly 20 years of withdrawal from it.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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