Defense Minister of Israel endorses strategy for governing Gaza region - Defense minister of Israel authorizes strategy for military action in Gaza.
The ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which began over a week ago, remain stalled, with the two parties unable to reach a consensus.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has expressed his willingness to restart talks, but only on the condition that the remaining hostages held by Hamas are released. This demand has been met with resistance from Hamas, who are seeking a comprehensive ceasefire that includes the release of over a hundred hostages, an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza, and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from the coastal strip.
Hamas has also emphasised the need for significant influence over the governance of Gaza, a demand that Israel has rejected. The Israeli government has rejected permanent ceasefire offers that would allow Hamas to govern Gaza without constraints, and instead, they propose a partial ceasefire that does not end the war.
Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. have been working tirelessly to find common ground, with proposals involving hostage release, Palestinian Authority empowerment, and broader regional developments. However, progress remains limited as of late August 2025.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has approved an operational plan for the takeover of Gaza. The planning committee in Israel is also deliberating the approval of settlement construction plans in the West Bank's E1 area, involving the construction of around 3,400 housing units. This move is feared to effectively divide the West Bank into a northern and southern part, making a contiguous territory for a future Palestinian state more difficult, if not impossible.
The ongoing war in Gaza has taken a catastrophic toll on the civilian population. More than 70% of houses in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or severely damaged, with some areas reaching 80-90%. The massacre, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others were taken to the Gaza Strip, sparked the war. Since the start of the Gaza War, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in the coastal strip, including many women and children. Almost all two million residents of the Gaza Strip have become internal refugees since the start of the Gaza War nearly two years ago.
The international community has been increasingly critical of Israel's military actions, with several countries, such as France, Canada, and Australia, planning to recognize a Palestinian state in September. The Security Cabinet is set to meet on Thursday, and an official Israeli reaction is expected by the end of the week.
Hamas claimed to have presented a positive response to international mediators for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip the previous day, but as of now, the stalemate continues. The fate of the hostages, the scope of the ceasefire, governance of Gaza, and troop withdrawals remain the key points of contention.
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