An IDF attack at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital sparks international condemnation, as ceasefire negotiations continue.
Fighting and ceasefire negotiations
- Last weekend, IDF Lieutenant Ori Gerlic, 20, was killed in Gaza. Gerlic was the son of Professor Motti Gerlic of the Tel Aviv University Faculty of Medicine, who is also a native of Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Ori was the 899th IDF soldier killed since October 7, 2023. As of today, 166 soldiers remain hospitalized recovering from injuries.
- On Monday, IDF forces launched two airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, killing at least 19 people, including five journalists and several medical staff and rescue workers. The second strike occurred just as medics and reporters arrived at the scene.
- Among the journalists killed were Gazan freelancers affiliated with Reuters, AP, Al Jazeera, and NBC.
- The IDF ordered an immediate, high-level investigation into the incident and clarified that the strike targeted a Hamas-operated surveillance position located at the hospital that was used to monitor troop movements, not civilians or journalists.
- The military stated emphatically that it never purposely targets civilians.
- An initial IDF assessment identified at least six militants linked to Hamas or Islamic Jihad among the casualties.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu called the incident a “tragic mishap” and expressed regret over civilian casualties. Other members of the government noted that fighting always includes painful and unintended consequences, and that this war was initiated by Hamas, who continue to use hospitals as shields and bases of operation.
- The UN demanded a “prompt and impartial investigation,” emphasizing that journalists and medical personnel warrant protection under international law. Global leaders, including the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, denounced the strikes and called for “accountability.”
- Earlier in the week, Hamas said that it accepted a ceasefire proposal brokered by Egypt and Qatar, which includes a 60-day truce, the release of some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and increased humanitarian aid deliveries.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated Israel will resume ceasefire talks only on terms acceptable to Israel. These include pressing for the full release of all hostages while simultaneously preparing for military operations in Gaza City.
- As the IDF continues to prepare for a major military attack on Gaza City, Hamas has been preventing the population, which numbers close to one million, from leaving the city and moving south to humanitarian zones created by Israel. Israeli journalist Nitzan Shapira, from Channel 12, said that following this week’s strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Hamas “has further recognized that it can exploit the IDF’s attempts to avoid civilian casualties to its own advantage—and increase its cynical exploitation of the civilian population.”
- For two consecutive nights this week, the Israeli military struck targets in Syria, southwest of Damascus. On the first night, the attack was reportedly carried out by drones. The following night, the IDF escalated its actions: Israeli aircraft launched an airstrike and, shortly afterward, four helicopters inserted dozens of Israeli special forces into a Syrian military base. The facility, once part of Iran’s air defense infrastructure and previously bombed by Israel, has since come under the control of Syria’s new regime. The Israeli forces remained on the ground for about two hours, gathering intelligence and equipment before withdrawing. Syrian sources report casualties from the raid, with eight to ten of their soldiers killed.
- A missile fired at Israel by the Houthis over the weekend was identified as a “cluster-missile,” an advanced Iranian design, consisting of multiple sub-warheads intended to disperse over a wide area above the target—in this case, Tel Aviv—thereby maximizing damage. While the missile disintegrated mid-air after an interception attempt, one of the cluster munitions fell, causing minor property damage to a home near Tel Aviv. In response, Israel carried out a strike in Yemen, which for the first time included an attack on the presidential palace in Sana’a. Reports from Yemen indicate several fatalities in the strike.
Humanitarian aid
- The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a global initiative that provides a standardized framework for analyzing and classifying food insecurity and famine, working with UN agencies, governments, and NGOs (including FAO, WFP, UNICEF, and regional organizations) to assess hunger conditions.
- This week, for the first time, the IPC formally declared a famine in the Gaza City area, estimating that over 500,000 people—nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population—are experiencing hunger, with projections that up to 641,000 could be affected by the end of September.
- Israel totally rejected the IPC’s findings. The Foreign Ministry labeled the report “deeply flawed,” accusing the IPC of methodological breaches and data manipulation, including “cherry-picking” evidence. Israel says that the IPC:
- relied heavily on data provided by organizations affiliated with Hamas, which is biased and manipulated.
- declined to include humanitarian data provided by Israel, such as the volume of aid entering Gaza and the drop in food prices
- ignored extensive aid operations, including over 100,000 aid trucks, 132 million meals via the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and daily calorie intake estimates of 4,400 per person—well above famine thresholds;
- failed to make its datasets and analytical reasoning publicly accessible, undermining the credibility of its conclusions
- lowered the required percentage of severely food-insecure households from 30% to 15% for this report alone, and ignored mortality rates—both deviations from IPC’s own manual
- skewed projections toward worst-case scenarios without sufficient evidence, particularly regarding child malnutrition and mortality.
International developments/diplomacy
- On Tuesday, Israel announced it is downgrading its diplomatic ties with Brazil after the country’s government refused to approve the credentials of Israel’s nominee for ambassador in Brasília. The move follows a steady deterioration in relations: In February 2024, President Lula sparked outrage by comparing the IDF’s actions in Gaza to the Holocaust, leading Jerusalem to declare him persona non grata. Two months later, Brazil recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv and has not appointed a replacement. In July, Brazil further distanced itself by withdrawing from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
- Despite German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s pledge that his country will not authorize arms exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza, Berlin has approved the purchase of 90 Litening 5 targeting pods for its Eurofighter Typhoon fleet. Israel’s Rafael defense company announced the deal. Some Israeli media noted that the decision highlights a familiar pattern: While European governments often make public statements about distancing themselves from Israel or imposing restrictions, many secretly continue to seek to acquire Israeli defense technology. Germany’s motivation is perceived to stem from its concern over Russian aggression, pressure from Washington for NATO members to boost defense spending, and recognition that Israel produces cutting-edge military systems.
- On Monday, Israel confirmed that it has been engaged in quiet security talks with Syria—and that Lebanon may now enter the process as well. The Prime Minister’s Office welcomed the Lebanese Council of Ministers’ decision to pursue Hezbollah’s disarmament by the end of 2025, calling it “a momentous decision,” and said Israel is prepared to support Lebanon in those efforts. According to the statement, if the Lebanese Armed Forces begin implementing disarmament, Israel would take reciprocal steps, including a phased reduction of IDF forces along the border in coordination with a US-led security mechanism.
- Parallel discussions with Syria are also advancing. President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed that negotiations with Israel are in an “advanced stage,” with key elements under consideration: demilitarization of the Golan region from Damascus to the Duze town of Sweida; blocking Turkey from rebuilding Syria’s army; opening a humanitarian corridor to Sweida for Druze communities; and commitments to rehabilitate Syria with U.S. and Gulf support. The aim, Israeli officials say, is to stabilize Syria while curbing Iranian influence and at the same time ensuring that radical Sunni groups such as ISIS or the Muslim Brotherhood cannot re-establish themselves along Israel’s borders.
Other important news
- This week, the leader of the Blue and White Party, former defense minister, Benny Gantz, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition figures Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liberman to join him to form a six-month temporary government that would secure the release of the hostages through negotiations and legislate a bill to draft the ultra-Orthodox. Gantz argued that the temporary government would allow Netanyahu to “stop capitulating” to the demands of his coalition partners from the right and from the haredi sectors. All three leaders rejected Gantz’s proposal. Many Israeli analysts suggested that Gantz’s motivation is that his party now polls below the electoral threshold, so he is seeking to reinsert himself into the political conversation by positioning himself as the one leader who is seeking unity.
- The Israeli government’s decision to allocate $3 million for subsidizing flights and logistical arrangements for the annual pilgrimage to Uman in Ukraine (undertaken by many Israeli haredi Jews) has sparked intense public backlash, especially amid the ongoing war in Gaza and heightened tensions over the Haredi draft. Critics argue that funding travel for tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men—many of whom are defying military draft notices—while reservists are being mobilized for combat, sends a troubling message of inequality and political favoritism. The move is seen as a concession to haredi coalition partners, and has drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum, including members of the government itself, for appearing to sanctify draft evasion during wartime.
Further Reading
Israel Can’t Afford to Fall for Empty Declarations Again (And Neither Can Lebanon)
The Rules Have Changed: The German Arms Embargo and the War in Gaza