Tag: Gaza

Israel Approves Plan to Seize Gaza City Amid International Condemnation
Israel has approved plans to take control of Gaza City, while distributing humanitarian aid to civilians outside combat zones, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday, amid international pushback.
The decision follows a security cabinet meeting in which a majority of ministers endorsed five principles for ending the war.
These include disarming the Hamas terrorist organization, securing the release of all remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza, maintaining Israel’s security control over the territory, and establishing an alternative civil administration unaffiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
In an interview with Fox News on Aug. 7, Netanyahu said the plans align with Israel’s long-standing objectives in Gaza, ensuring the enclave poses no threat to the country’s security or existence.
Those goals have been central since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, in which more than 1,200 people were killed, and about 250 people kidnapped.
The assault triggered a prolonged war.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which operates under the control of Hamas, more than 60,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. The number does not distinguish between combatants and civilians and includes some deaths from natural causes. The Epoch Times cannot verify the casualty numbers.
International Reactions
Countries remain divided over how to end the conflict. Western allies such as France, the UK, Canada, and Australia are pressing for a two-state solution—a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Israel and the United States reject recognizing Palestinian statehood under current conditions, arguing it would endanger Israel’s security.
The UK, Australia, and Turkey on Friday condemned Israel’s plan to expand military operations in Gaza.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it would “only bring more bloodshed” and wouldn’t help secure the release of hostages, while Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the move would worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Israel’s plan aims to make Gaza uninhabitable and forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.
The leaders back a two-state solution for the region, which will be a key focus of the 80th U.N. General Assembly in September, where France, the UK, and Canada said they plan to formalize their recognition of a Palestinian territory.
U.N. officials urged Israel to stop its planned full military takeover of the Gaza Strip. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk cited a ruling by the International Court of Justice and said, “Israel must end its occupation and achieve a two-State solution giving Palestinians the right to self-determination,” according to a U.N. press statement on Aug. 8.
Netanyahu dismissed the court’s findings as “fundamentally wrong” and one-sided, while the United States said the court should avoid any ruling that might hinder negotiations toward a two-state solution based on the “land-for-peace” principle.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Thomas Pigott, when asked on Thursday to respond to Netanyahu’s remarks, reiterated U.S. policy priorities: delivering aid to Gaza without it being looted by Hamas, securing the release of hostages, and ensuring Hamas does not continue to exist.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Aug. 8 that its exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza will be suspended.
Das vom israelischen Sicherheitskabinett beschlossene, noch härtere Vorgehen lässt immer weniger erkennen, wie die Ziele erreicht werden sollen. Die Bundesregierung genehmigt bis auf Weiteres keine Ausfuhren von Rüstungsgütern, die im Gazastreifen zum Einsatz kommen können. 2/5
— Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) August 8, 2025
Merz affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself and the need to disarm Hamas, but he said that measures approved by the Israeli Security Cabinet “are making it increasingly unclear how these goals will be achieved.”
He also called on Israel to avoid steps toward annexing the West Bank.
Internal Tensions
Internal divisions deepened in Israel after the security cabinet approved sending forces into Gaza City, rejecting an alternative proposal that ministers said would not ensure Hamas’s defeat or the return of hostages.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the decision “a disaster” on Aug. 8, warning it would drag on for months, lead to the deaths of hostages and soldiers, cost Israeli taxpayers tens of billions, and end in political collapse.
“This is exactly what Hamas wanted: for Israel to be trapped in the field without a goal, without defining the picture of the day after, in a useless occupation that no one understands where it is leading,” Lapid said on X.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing relatives of those held in Gaza, also condemned the decision as “abandoning the hostages.”
Last night's cabinet decision to pursue occupation of the Gaza Strip means abandoning the hostages, while completely ignoring the repeated warnings from military leadership and the clear will of the majority of the Israeli public.

As we approach the tragic one-year anniversary…
— Bring Them Home Now (@bringhomenow) August 8, 2025
The group said that expanding the fighting “only further endangers those still held in Gaza’s tunnels” and leaves them “at the mercy of Hamas.”
“Hamas continues to exploit military escalation as justification for its brutal treatment of our loved ones,” the group said. “The only way to bring the hostages home is through a comprehensive deal.”
In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu said Israel is “doing everything“ in its power ”to salvage the hostages.”
He said that Israel can achieve the release of the remaining 50 hostages “with a combination of the right military tactics and international pressure.”
“Without military pressure, nothing works,” he said.
Some protesters blocked a highway in Tel Aviv on Thursday, according to a report by the Times of Israel, demanding a deal for the release of the hostages and demonstrating against an expansion of the war in Gaza.
August 8, 2025
Hamas Releases Disturbing Video of Hostage Digging His Own Grave in Tunnel
Hamas-held hostage Evyatar David is filmed charting his meager food consumption and digging what he says he fears will be his own grave in a tunnel in Gaza, in a Hamas propaganda video that his family cleared for publication on August 2, 2025.
In a harrowing video released Friday by Hamas and approved for publication by his family the following day, Israeli hostage Evyatar David is seen pale, emaciated, and trembling, forced to dig what he fears may be his own grave inside a Gaza tunnel. The shocking footage, combined with desperate pleas from his family and mounting international pressure, has cast renewed urgency on stalled hostage negotiations and raised grave questions about the treatment of captives held by terror groups since the brutal October 7, 2023 massacre.
David, a young Israeli man abducted from the Nova music festival near Re’im during Hamas’s unprecedented assault on southern Israel, appears barely alive in the footage. His ribs protrude through his skin, his eyes are sunken, and his voice is frail. “This is the grave I think I’m going to be buried in,” he says at one point. “Time is running out. You are the only ones who can end this.”
His family, visibly distraught, released a statement on Saturday: “We are forced to witness our dear son and brother Evyatar being deliberately and cynically starved in Hamas’s tunnels in Gaza — a living skeleton buried alive. Our son has only a few days left to live in his current condition.”
David’s footage paints a bleak portrait of conditions in Hamas captivity. In scenes inside a cramped tunnel — barely tall enough for him to stand — David is seen crossing off dates on a makeshift calendar etched into the wall, marking the sparse days when he received food. He describes eating only beans and lentils, sometimes going multiple days without a single meal. At one point, he is handed a small can. “This can is for two days. This whole can is for two days so that I don’t die,” he says with eerie composure.
His voice grows fainter as he states: “I haven’t eaten for a few days in a row. I am in very, very difficult conditions… You can see how thin I am.”
The family has called on President Donald Trump, the Israeli government, and the global community to intervene immediately:
“We are begging the government of Israel, the people of Israel, every nation of the world, and especially President Trump: You must do everything in your power, by any means necessary, to save Evyatar and the rest of the hostages.”
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, sent by President Trump to handle hostage negotiations, addressed hundreds at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday after the release of the video. “We now need to bring all of them home. We are very close to ending the war,” he said. “No more piecemeal deals. That doesn’t work. And we’ve tried everything.”
Witkoff pledged that hostage recovery is the top priority of the Trump administration:
“This is the most important thing President Trump asked me to work on, and I will work on it until my last breath,” he said. “We will get your children home and hold Hamas responsible for any bad acts on their part.”
He also claimed that the U.S. believes all remaining hostages in Gaza are alive — a powerful message meant to assure families holding out hope.
Deliberate Starvation Campaign?
According to a Channel 12 report, a senior Israeli source confirmed that Hamas is not lacking food, but is intentionally starving the hostages. “We know from testimony of returned hostages and our own intelligence that the captors themselves are well-fed. This is deliberate. It’s psychological warfare.”
Evyatar’s family echoed this sentiment:
“Hamas is using our son as a living experiment in a disgusting hunger campaign. Our Evyatar is being starved for propaganda purposes. There is no limit to the pain the Hamas terror group causes the hostages and the residents of Gaza.”
A Nation in Mourning: “Second Holocaust” and Mass Protest
The chilling footage of David, alongside a similarly disturbing video of hostage Rom Braslavski, ignited anguish across Israel. Hundreds gathered in Hostages Square on Saturday, where families erected a barbed wire protest camp to symbolize their loved ones’ captivity.
“Our children are undergoing a Holocaust,” said Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker. “Jews are becoming skin and bones because of political survival. If we don’t free them now, they won’t survive much longer.”
Anat Angrest, mother of a captive soldier, called the crisis a “complete failure” for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
“My father survived the Holocaust, and now his grandson is living through one — in color, on video. The 2025 Holocaust is being carried out by inaction.”
Hamas’s Narrative vs. Israel’s Defense
Hamas released the videos in conjunction with inflammatory statements blaming Israel for starvation in Gaza. The UN and several humanitarian agencies have expressed concern about hunger in the territory, while Israel has forcefully denied orchestrating any starvation campaign.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say they have increased humanitarian corridors and implemented 10-hour ceasefires in various regions to allow aid distribution. Still, the Gaza Health Ministry — run by Hamas — claims over 60,000 deaths in the Strip, although this figure cannot be independently verified and includes both fighters and civilians.
Witkoff said Hamas has “expressed willingness to demilitarize,” although the group later issued a statement rejecting the idea:
“We will not disarm as long as the occupation exists,” Hamas declared, while also condemning U.S. efforts to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu faces a fractured government, with far-right members calling for the complete razing of Gaza City and opposing any ceasefire-hostage deal. Critics allege the Prime Minister is delaying resolution for political gain.
In the midst of war, propaganda, and political calculations, Evyatar David’s haunted face, his trembling voice, and his forced shovel scraping the earth beneath him, have cut through the noise. His cry — and that of his family — now echoes across borders:
“This isn’t fiction. This is real.”
August 3, 2025
The images of starvation in Gaza are deeply misleading
The New York Times’ July 25 front page showing a picture captioned: “Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, about 18 months, with his mother, Hedaya al-Mutawaq, who said he was born healthy but recently diagnozed with severe malnutrition. A doctor said the number children dying of malnutrition in Gaza had risen sharply.” On July 30, the paper acknowledged that Mohammed “had pre-existing health problems affecting his brain and his muscle development.”
It’s one of the most emotionally searing images circulated in recent months: a malnourished child behind a fence, desperate eyes piercing through the camera lens, with a woman stretching out a bowl for food. It’s been published by international media, invoked by politicians, and shared by millions online. It has come to symbolize, for many, the reported famine in Gaza.
But there’s just one problem. The photo’s origin and context are hotly disputed — and increasingly, experts say, deliberately manipulated.
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his 3.4 million followers on X:
“There is no starvation in Gaza, no policy of starvation in Gaza.”
There is no starvation in Gaza, no policy of starvation in Gaza, and I assure you that we have a commitment to achieve our war goals.

We will continue to fight till we achieve the release of our hostages and the destruction of Hamas' military and governing capabilities. They… pic.twitter.com/cND0ZoejgJ
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) July 28, 2025

His remarks unleashed a digital firestorm. Former President Donald Trump broke ranks with his usual ally and responded:
“There is real starvation in Gaza. You can’t fake that.”

This rare division between two strong allies laid bare the intensifying war not just over territory, but over information — a propaganda war playing out across social media, newsrooms, and governments.
Hamas’s Propaganda Machinery and Media Blindness
Many analysts and security experts argue that Hamas is adept at exploiting global sympathy through carefully staged imagery. Images of skeletal children, overwhelmed hospitals, and food queues are frequently disseminated, often with little journalistic scrutiny.
Take, for instance, the viral image of a girl at a community kitchen. On X (formerly Twitter), thousands of users — aided by Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok — claimed the photo was from 2014, portraying a Yazidi girl fleeing ISIS in Iraq.
Claims on social media said this photo was taken in 2014 in Iraq or Syria. In fact it was taken in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, on Saturday, July 26, 2025, showing Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen. © AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana
Grok responded:
“Yes, the photo is from August 2014… on Mount Sinjar in Iraq.”
Citing Reuters, it labeled the image a case of repurposed content.
A girl from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing the violence in the Iraqi town of Sinjar, rests at the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing in Fishkhabour, Dohuk province on August 13, 2014. © Youssef Boudlal—REUTERS
But BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh debunked that claim. He identified the photo’s true source:
“The image is from Gaza, taken on July 26, 2025, by AP photographer Abdel Kareem Hana.”
Reverse image tools like TinEye confirmed the original publication date and location. Grok was simply wrong.
As Sardarizadeh noted:
“AI chatbots, including Grok, are not fact-checking tools and should not be used for that purpose, particularly in relation to breaking and developing events.”
Still, damage was done. The manipulated claim was spread, repeated, and believed by many — a clear example of how quickly misinformation can overshadow the truth.
The Case of Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq
The New York Times’ July 25 front page showing a picture captioned: “Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, about 18 months, with his mother, Hedaya al-Mutawaq, who said he was born healthy but recently diagnozed with severe malnutrition. A doctor said the number children dying of malnutrition in Gaza had risen sharply.” On July 30, the paper acknowledged that Mohammed “had pre-existing health problems affecting his brain and his muscle development.”
Another image that shocked global audiences was that of 18-month-old Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq. Published by The New York Times in a piece titled “Gazans Are Dying of Starvation”, the toddler was described as emaciated, with his father reportedly killed while searching for food.
“As an adult, I can bear the hunger, but my kids can’t,” his mother was quoted.
But investigative journalist David Collier quickly raised flags. He cited medical records showing Mohammed suffered from severe genetic disorders since birth and had required special supplements even before the war began.
In response, The New York Times issued an editor’s note:
“We have since learned new information… and have updated our story to add context about his pre-existing health problems.”
We have appended an Editors' Note to a story about Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, a child in Gaza who was diagnosed with severe malnutrition. After publication, The Times learned that he also had pre-existing health problems. Read more below. pic.twitter.com/KGxP3b3Q2B
— NYTimes Communications (@NYTimesPR) July 29, 2025

They noted that while Mohammed’s condition had worsened due to the lack of medical care, his malnutrition was compounded, not caused, by the current war.
To critics, the update wasn’t enough.
“So you guys lied, got called out, and issued a complete non-apology,” one user posted on X.
On Wednesday, a UN-backed food security task force warned that famine “is currently playing out” in Gaza. Their analysis said Gaza City had crossed famine thresholds for food consumption and acute malnutrition.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reports 154 deaths from hunger since October 2023 — including 89 children. However, critics question the credibility of the ministry’s figures, noting its alignment with Hamas and history of inflated or unverifiable statistics.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the situation “a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.” Human rights organizations, including Israel-based B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, claim Israel is committing genocide through starvation, mass displacement, and bombings.
Yet at the same time, The New York Times also recently reported Israeli military officials denying Hamas’s alleged theft of UN aid — suggesting the crisis may be more due to distribution chaos, logistical breakdowns, and internal Hamas mismanagement than direct Israeli policy.
A Media Reckoning Is Overdue
The Western media’s responsibility in this tragedy cannot be ignored. In the rush to file emotionally evocative stories, due diligence has often been sacrificed. As the New York Budgets Editorial Standards outline: verifying visual content, especially in wartime, is not optional — it is essential.
“Every journalist must ask: Who took this photo? Where? When? Under what conditions?”
Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated it will exploit suffering for propaganda. That doesn’t mean suffering isn’t real — but it does mean every claim must be thoroughly scrutinized. Too often, however, global outlets like The New York Times, The Guardian, and Stuff have published without confirmation, only issuing updates days later.
Starvation in Gaza may well be occurring. Humanitarian groups have sounded the alarm. But in a media landscape rife with misinformation, every image, every anecdote must be questioned — not to deny suffering, but to preserve the truth.
Because when lies masquerade as evidence, the real victims — whether Palestinian civilians or the truth itself — are the ones who suffer the most.
July 30, 2025
Israel says it’s pausing fighting in parts of Gaza to allow aid in
© DAWOUD ABU ALKAS/REUTERS
Tel aviv, Israel – Under mounting international pressure, Israel has implemented daily tactical pauses in military operations across select areas of Gaza, establishing designated “safe routes” to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery. The move comes amid escalating reports of a horrific hunger crisis, described by the UN as reaching famine-like levels in parts of the enclave.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed daily pauses from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time in parts of Gaza City, Deir al‑Balah, and Al‑Mawasi. Secure corridors for aid convoys, operating from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., were also introduced, ensuring land-based deliveries can proceed with reduced risk. These measures were coordinated with the UN, WFP, UNICEF, and international aid organizations seeking immediate relief access.
Palestinians at a lentil soup distribution point in Gaza City. © Omar Al-Qattaa/Getty Images
Israel emphasized that while these pauses allow aid to flow, combat operations continue in other areas and it categorically denied accusations that it is using starvation as a weapon—labeling them propaganda.
According to the World Food Programme, over a third of Gaza’s population—some 700,000 people—are going days without food. Approximately 1.25 million face life-threatening hunger (IPC Phase 5). Nearly 100,000 women and children suffer from severe acute malnutrition and require urgent treatment. The Gaza Health Ministry records at least 133 deaths from malnutrition in July alone, including 87 children, as official aid remains insufficient. The WHO reports 21 children under age 5 have already died from starvation and malnutrition-related illnesses in 2025—and malnutrition centers lack supplies. UN staff in Gaza report that many humanitarian workers have fainted from hunger and exhaustion in the last 48 hours. Since May, aid convoys and distribution points—including those run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—have seen over 1,000 Palestinian deaths in chaotic, often violent crowding and shooting incidents.
© DAWOUD ABU ALKAS/REUTERS
©DAWOUD ABU ALKAS/REUTERS
Despite the new pauses, aid flow remains far below what’s needed:
UN agencies estimate Gaza requires at least 120 aid trucks daily—but only a fraction of that number is entering, leaving relief piles stuck at crossing points in Jordan and Egypt. Aid delivered so far includes limited air-drops, such as airdrops of flour, sugar, and canned foods, plus joint efforts by Jordan and the UAE. Still, those methods are widely criticized as inefficient and.
UN officials and humanitarian leaders described the situation as apocalyptic, warning that the humanitarian pauses are a start—but not a solution: full corridors and sustained access are urgently needed. Some international leaders, including India, have called for a permanent ceasefire and immediate access for relief convoys, branding current conditions a breach of international law. Israeli officials blame UN inefficiency and attribute starvation claims to Hamas propaganda, while maintaining the responsibility for food distribution rests with international agencies—not the IDF.
Hamas fighters are deployed in Rafah ahead of the planned release of two among six Israeli hostages set to be handed over to the Red Cross, Gaza Strip, on February 22, 2025. © AP/Jehad Alshrafi
From the UN’s perspective, this pause is a critical but insufficient step:
“Until we have that stability of assistance, this is going to be really difficult to control the situation on the ground,” WFP’s Ross Smith emphasized, warning that food assistance is currently the only lifeline for Gaza populations facing famine-like conditions.
Israel’s tactical pause in parts of Gaza marks a significant shift—but it’s being overshadowed by the scale of the crisis on the ground. With hunger spreading rapidly and thousands already dead, the measures fall far short of addressing Gaza’s catastrophic needs. Humanitarian leaders caution that only sustained, full access can save lives before famine crosses irreversible thresholds.
July 27, 2025