Overview

• Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Doha, Qatar, to advance negotiations for a comprehensive hostage deal. Israel’s position remains firm: only a total release of all hostages in exchange for an end to the war under five conditions set by Prime Minister Netanyahu.

• Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) plans to expand the amount of distribution points from 4 to 16, to better regulate humanitarian aid. More than 300 aid trucks enter Gaza, daily.

• Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved the construction of 3,401 housing units in the E-1 corridor, connecting Jerusalem with Ma’ale Adumim. This decision effectively creates territorial continuity between the two cities.

• Senior Iranian official Ali Larijani visited Beirut, meeting President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. His mission was to pressure Lebanon’s leadership not to disarm Hezbollah.

• In Suwayda, large-scale Druze demonstrations took place, led by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, in which crowds waved Israeli flags, held signs in Hebrew, and chanted slogans like “We want Israel,” “Thank you Netanyahu,”

• The E3 states (UK, France, Germany) have set a 31 August deadline for Iran to return to nuclear negotiations and grant full access to IAEA inspectors. Failure to comply would trigger the Snapback sanctions mechanism.

Gaza 

Diplomatic and Hostage Deal

• Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Doha, Qatar, to advance negotiations for a comprehensive hostage deal. Israel’s position remains firm: only a total release of all hostages in exchange for an end to the war under five conditions set by Prime Minister Netanyahu. Partial deals are not being considered.

  1. Dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities

  2. The return of all hostages – living and deceased

  3. The demilitarization of the Gaza Strip

  4. Israeli security control in Gaza

  5. The establishment of an alternative civilian administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority

• Reports indicate Jerusalem and Juba have held talks about the possible resettlement of Gazans in South Sudan, following a visit by the Sudanese foreign minister to Israel last week. South Sudan officially denied willingness to receive refugees. Parallel discussions are reportedly ongoing with Indonesia, Ethiopia, Libya, and another African state, though no concrete agreements have been reached.

• Khalil al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau, arrived in Cairo seeking to promote a ceasefire. However, Egypt rejected Hamas’s stance, instead pressing for a 60-day truce involving the release of hostages and expanded humanitarian aid.

• The U.S. administration signaled strong support for Israel’s policy of fully defeating Hamas militarily and is even considering the formal designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. Such a move would have far-reaching consequences for Hamas and its international networks.

• Yasser Abu Shabab, commander of the so-called “Popular Forces”, released a propaganda video from southern Gaza portraying life under his militia’s protection. The footage included food distribution, medical treatment, women’s rights education, and children being taught human rights in schools. The video concluded with thanks to Donald Trump, revealing Abu Shabab’s attempt to both appeal to Western audiences and undermine Hamas’s legitimacy by presenting himself as an alternative authority figure.

• Former senior PA official Samir Khalila confirmed discussions to appoint him as governor of Gaza, under a plan backed by the Arab League. According to him, the arrangement—on the table for 18 months—would place Gaza’s administration under an Arab committee composed of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, and the Palestinian Authority. Arab security forces, particularly Egyptians, would enter the Strip under U.S. supervision. Khalila claims even Hamas has agreed in principle.

• Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Farsin Shaheen stated that the PA has a comprehensive vision for postwar Gaza, including the formation of a special police force to assume security responsibilities.

Operational 

• The IDF has redeployed forces, withdrawing one unspecified division and leaving five brigade combat teams inside the Strip. Currently, Nahal Brigade and the 7th Armored Brigade, under Division 99, are spearheading an assault in the Zaytoun neighborhood, east Gaza City. Their mission includes clearing paths, eliminating militants, dismantling IEDs, and destroying fortified infrastructure such as booby-trapped buildings. The goal is to secure routes into the northern sections of Zaytoun and achieve its total destruction as a Hamas stronghold.

• In northern Gaza, engineering units under Southern Command completed a major four-week operation to seal a 7 km Hamas tunnel in Beit Hanoun. This involved deploying a 4.5 km pipeline from the border fence, through which 20,000 cubic meters of sealing material were pumped. Cooperation between Yahalom (IDF combat engineers), special Nahal units (“Gefen”), “Shu’alei HaHarom,” and Givati ensured its success. Additionally, 2.4 km of tunnel routes were destroyed, while 95% of buildings in Beit Hanoun—long considered a central Hamas hub—have now been demolished.

• Air defense intercepted a “Doher Shamayim” UAV over Gaza City, preventing any intelligence leak. Meanwhile, Palestinian Islamic Jihad released footage of militants using Israeli shell duds to manufacture improvised explosive devices, underscoring the adaptive threat facing IDF forces.

• On 9 August, an Israeli strike in Khan Younis eliminated Nasser Musa, a senior Rafah Brigade commander responsible for Hamas’s military oversight and training programs—a key figure in efforts to rebuild Hamas’s ranks. On the same day, the Khan Younis municipality building, which was used to store rockets, was also destroyed in an airstrike.

Terrorists Use of Civilian “Roles”

• The IDF carried out an airstrike on the “journalists’ tent” located at the Shifa Hospital compound in the Rimal neighborhood of western Gaza City. Eight individuals were killed, including six Al Jazeera staff members. Among them was Anas Jamal Mahmoud al-Sharif, a senior Hamas operative serving both as head of a tactical operations cell (TAMS) and as a leading figure in Hamas propaganda against Israel. His dual role highlights Hamas’s longstanding use of media as both cover and weapon in its asymmetric war.

• In Deir al-Balah, Israeli forces identified five militants disguised as humanitarian workers who had affixed World Central Kitchen (WCK) stickers to their vehicle. The car was destroyed in an airstrike, with some of the operatives killed later. This case illustrates the systematic abuse of humanitarian symbols by Gaza’s armed factions, complicating Israel’s battlefield differentiation between civilians and combatants.

New Operational Challenges

• Roughly 950,000 Gazans remain in Gaza City, many of whom have been displaced multiple times and now refuse to heed evacuation orders. This creates a severe urban combat dilemma, as thousands of armed militants are entrenched within a tunnel network and fortified positions beneath the city.

• A prolonged siege of Gaza City is not seen as viable due to Israel’s political and strategic need to shorten the war. Instead, any major assault will likely require mass civilian evacuation, combined with the establishment of new humanitarian centers between central Gaza and Mawasi to reduce international pressure.

Humanitarian

• GHF plans to expand distribution points from 4 to 16 to better regulate humanitarian aid. Daily, over 300 aid trucks enter Gaza, though security concerns persist. At least three truck drivers were identified as members of terrorist factions, confirming Israeli fears of infiltration of aid mechanisms.

• Despite these efforts, over 100 international organizations refuse to fully cooperate with Israeli coordination, citing accusations of deliberate starvation policies. Israel continues to push for humanitarian aid to be delivered via airdrops or through controlled GHF points, aiming to bypass Hamas diversion.

Domestic Israel

• A key vote in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on activating Order 8 emergency call-ups for 430,000 reservists failed, as opposition lawmakers voted against it. This will delay mobilization and may hinder manpower availability for the planned Gaza City offensive.

• Major protests and strikes took place on August 17^th against the government in a bid to pressure the government to reach a hostage deal and end of the war. Roads were blocked and there were nation-wide disturbances all over the country.

Judea and Samaria

• Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved the construction of 3,401 housing units in the E-1 corridor, connecting Jerusalem with Ma’ale Adumim. This decision effectively creates territorial continuity between the two cities, undermining the possibility of a future Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria and drawing strong international criticism.

• Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that terror activity in the area has dropped by 80%, attributing the decline to IDF operations in camps such as Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur al-Shams. He emphasized that security forces will maintain a long-term presence in the camps until at least the end of the year.

• On the diplomatic front, reports indicate the Palestinian Authority leadership is considering a unilateral declaration of statehood during the UN General Assembly in September 2025. The move would be based on a constitutional proclamation by Mahmoud Abbas, setting provisional borders, principles of governance, and a legal framework, pending the adoption of a full constitution.

• Prime Minister Netanyahu participated in a ceremony marking the 50^th anniversary of the founding of the town of Ofra.  At the reception, a plaque was unveiled which marked the tree that Netanyahu planted at Ofra’s 25^th anniversary in 2000.  Since the announcement by some G7 countries to unilaterally recognize Palestine, both Israeli and international leaders have been spending more time visiting Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria including the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson who visited the Israeli communities in Hebron, Ariel and Shilo.

Lebanon

Diplomatic

• The Israeli Air Force conducted airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure, including subterranean facilities in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem declared that the group would never disarm, threatening mass protests and even the possibility of civil war. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned his statements as incitement, emphasizing that only the Lebanese Armed Forces can legally hold weapons.

• Hezbollah reiterated demands for the IDF to withdraw from five border outposts and to end airstrikes, while Israel continued its offensive strikes against tunnel networks and logistical hubs.

• The IDF Chief of Staff visited an expanded outpost north of Metula, affirming support for an offensive initiative. He revealed that since the ceasefire began, the IDF has eliminated 240 Hezbollah operatives and carried out 600 airstrikes.

• On 13 August, senior Iranian official Ali Larijani visited Beirut, meeting President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. His mission was to pressure Lebanon’s leadership not to disarm Hezbollah, with Tehran promising continued support. However, given Hezbollah’s severe losses, Assad’s downfall in Syria, and crippled Iranian smuggling routes, it is unclear how Iran could substantively back Hezbollah in the current situation.

• Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Ali Larijani, Secretary-General of Iran’s National Security Council. Despite diplomatic pleasantries, Prime Minister Salam criticized recent Iranian interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs, signaling Beirut’s discomfort with Tehran’s direct influence over Hezbollah and domestic politics.

Syria

• Turkey is pressuring for military action against the SDF to place the Kurdish autonomous region (Rojava) under the control of Damascus. Ankara is reportedly paying salaries to segments of the Syrian Arab Army, indicating deepening ties. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan openly backed an offensive in eastern Syria, aimed directly at the Kurds.

• A planned meeting between Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani—intended to create a humanitarian corridor—was postponed to next week. Meanwhile, Fidan accused Israel of pushing southern Syria into civil war by empowering Druze communities.

• IDF arrested a weapons dealer in the Quneitra province, underscoring ongoing Israeli efforts to curb arms smuggling on the border.

• According to Axios, the U.S. administration is mediating discussions between Israel and Damascus aimed at opening a humanitarian corridor into the Suwayda province, where unrest has intensified.

• Syrian Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra signed a military training and advisory agreement with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler, including training programs and technical support designed to rebuild and modernize the Syrian Army. This reflects growing Turkish-Syrian military coordination.

• Syrian FM al-Shaibani, in a joint press conference with Turkish FM Hakan Fidan, condemned Israel’s threats, accusing Israel of attempting to fragment Syria and sow chaos.

• In Suwayda, large-scale Druze demonstrations took place, led by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, in which crowds waved Israeli flags, held signs in Hebrew, and chanted slogans like “We want Israel,” “Thank you Netanyahu,” and “We will accept Israeli intervention only to protect us.” These rare public displays underscore the deepening Druze-Israeli alignment in southern Syria against Damascus.

Iraq

• According to four Iraqi security and political sources, the U.S. has pressured Baghdad to dismantle advanced weapons systems held by Shi’a militias—including UAVs and medium-range missiles. Washington warned that if Baghdad fails to act, the U.S. may consider direct airstrikes to eliminate the systems.

Iran

•  The E3 states (UK, France, Germany) have set a 31 August deadline for Iran to return to nuclear negotiations and grant full access to IAEA inspectors. Failure to comply would trigger the Snapback sanctions mechanism.

• Prime Minister Netanyahu stated Iran still holds 400 kg of enriched uranium but lacks the capacity for a nuclear breakout. He emphasized that Israel, with or without U.S. backing, will strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if necessary.

• The IDF Chief of Staff held talks with the incoming U.S. CENTCOM commander and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to strengthen military coordination in the Middle East.

• Senior Iranian envoy Ali Larijani, close to Supreme Leader Khamenei, visited Baghdad and Beirut to resist attempts to disarm Iraqi Shi’a militias and Hezbollah. His Beirut visit included a pro-Shi’a rally, where supporters threatened demonstrations against U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s expected arrival.

• Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi warned neighboring states that any American intervention would render U.S. bases across the region legitimate missile targets for Iran.

• Iranian Chief of Staff Abd al-Rahim Mousavi met with South Africa’s defense chief, Rudzani Maphwanya, pledging to expand Iran-South Africa military cooperation

International

• Spanish Deputy PM Yolanda Díaz accused Israel of running an economy “based on genocide,” urging the EU to suspend all dealings with Israel and halt weapons purchases.

• Danish PM declared that Netanyahu’s government has overstepped boundaries, calling the Gaza humanitarian crisis and West Bank settlement expansion both “disgusting and disastrous.” Denmark intends to use its EU presidency to push sanctions against Israel.

• The Australian government has revoked the visa for Israeli MK Simcha Rothman ahead of his planned visit to speak with Jewish communities in Australia.

• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed in an interview that Washington is actively considering the designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, noting that the process requires individual review of each national branch.