Hamas accepts Arab cease-fire, but Israel niches. Wafa denounces: more than 62,000 dead in Gaza

The death toll in the Gaza Strip has reached 62,004, most of them women and children, since the beginning of the Israeli aggression in October 2023. At least another 156,230 people have been injured. This was revealed by medical sources to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. At least 10,460 civilians have been killed and another 44,189 injured since Israel resumed hostilities last March, the sources add. In the last 24 hours, 27 Palestinians have been killed and 281 injured while trying to access humanitarian aid.

Egypt and Qatar presented Israel with a new proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza. This was made public by Egyptian intelligence chief Diaa Rashwan, adding that "now the ball is in his court". Rashwan said that mediators Egypt and Qatar had prepared the new proposal based on a recent plan by US envoy Witkoff. This new proposal would have the OK of Hamas.

"For the first time in weeks Hamas is willing to discuss an agreement for the release of the hostages, and it does so only out of fear that we are serious about taking over Gaza City". This was stated by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz during a visit to the Gaza Division together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. Katz reiterated that the capture of the city 'will lead to the defeat of Hamas'. This was reported by the Times of Israel. The minister explained that "the focus on Gaza City stems from the fact that it is a military, governmental, and symbolic centre of gravity. The leadership is there, and the main infrastructure of the military wing remains there. Hamas also knows that this is now the heart of its power'. That is why, he stressed, 'we see that for the first time, after weeks in which Hamas was not at all willing to discuss any agreement for the release of the hostages, despite the fact that Turkey and Qatar had already urged it, suddenly the issue is on the table'. Katz concluded by stating that 'the reason is clear: only the fear that we are serious about conquering Gaza City prompts Hamas to discuss'. Meanwhile, the IDF received the green light from General Zamir on plans for an offensive aimed at taking the city.

"For everything that happened on 7 October, for every person on 7 October, 50 Palestinians must die. It does not matter now if they are children. The fact that there are already 50,000 dead in Gaza is necessary and required for the next generations." This is what IDF commander Aharon Haliva, who was head of military intelligence on 7 October 2023 until he resigned in April the following year taking responsibility for the Hamas attacks, said in an audio broadcast by Channel 12. It was not specified who Haliva was talking to, nor when the audio dates back to, but the 50,000 dead number was reached last March. "There is no choice, they periodically need a Nabka to prove the cost," he added, referring to the Arabic term used to refer to the 'catastrophe' when 700,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes following the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

A Hamas source told Al Jazeera that the movement has accepted the new proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza presented by the mediators: "We informed the mediators of our agreement to the proposal presented yesterday". The ceasefire proposal includes the release of 10 living and 18 dead Israeli hostages, the delivery of aid to Gaza through humanitarian organisations, the Red Crescent and the UN, and a 60-day ceasefire. Negotiations to end the war will begin with the start of the ceasefire.

Should today's meeting at the White House be successful, European diplomats have been asked by their US counterparts to stand ready for a trilateral summit between Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin by the end of the week. This is what Sky News learns. Barring any last-minute changes, the US and EU allies have agreed that the meeting will be held in Europe, but there is no agreement - the British broadcaster points out - on which city should host the trilateral.

During the 'coalition of the willing' video call at the weekend, Giorgia Meloni proposed Rome as the venue, while Emmanuel Macron proposed Geneva. It seems that both Zelensky and Trump prefer Rome, and in particular the Vatican, but Putin would like Geneva. Both the Italian and Swiss foreign ministries insist on their willingness to host the talks, with EU diplomats also considering other venues, including Budapest and Helsinki.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, clashed this morning on social media with his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó, after Budapest accused Kiev of an attack on a Russian oil pipeline, which disrupted supplies. "Ukraine has again attacked the pipeline to Hungary, disrupting supplies. This latest attack on our energy security is outrageous and unacceptable," the Hungarian minister said, adding that "the Russian deputy energy minister, Pavel Sorokin, has informed me that experts are working to restore the processing station that is essential for the pipeline to function, but for now they cannot say when they will resume deliveries."

He adds: 'For three and a half years Brussels and Kiev have been trying to drag Hungary into the war in Ukraine. These repeated Ukrainian attacks on our energy supply serve the same purpose. I want to be clear: this is not our war. We have nothing to do with it, and as long as we are in charge, Hungary will stay out of it. Finally, a reminder to Ukrainian decision-makers: Hungarian electricity plays a vital role in supplying your country...'.

Egypt is willing to participate in a possible international force to be deployed in Gaza, but only if supported by a UN Security Council resolution and with a clear 'political horizon'. This was stated by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty during a joint press conference with Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa at the Rafah crossing. "Of course we are ready to help, to contribute to any international force to be deployed in Gaza, but we need clear parameters, a Security Council resolution and a political horizon," Abdelatty stressed, pointing out that "without a political horizon, it would be useless to deploy any force." The minister explained that a political framework would allow international troops to operate more effectively and support the Palestinians in achieving an 'independent Palestinian state in their own land'.

"We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed. The sooner that happens, the greater the chance of success." This was stated by Donald Trump on his social Truth.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in the 22 months of war in Gaza. At least 60 people were killed in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll in the war between Israel and Hamas, which began on 7 October 2023, to 62,004. Another 156,230 were injured, it said. The Health Ministry said 1,965 people were killed while seeking help from humanitarian convoys or were killed near aid distribution sites. At least seven Palestinians were killed Monday morning while trying to access aid. The ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, is made up of medical professionals. The UN and other independent experts regard its figures as the most reliable count of casualties. Israel has disputed these figures, but has not provided its own account of casualties.

"In the last few hours, nine different countries have launched 180 aid packages containing foodstuffs for the residents of the Gaza Strip from the sky," the Israeli Army (IDF) stated on Telegram. "Today (Monday), in accordance with the directives of the political summit and within the framework of cooperation between Israel, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Singapore and Indonesia, the Idf - led by COGAT (the Israeli entity for the coordination of activities in the Territories, ed.) - is continuing the series of actions aimed at improving the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip," a press release further reads. "The IDF will continue to work to improve the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip, together with the international community, refuting false accusations of deliberate starvation in Gaza," the note concludes.

More like a collective punishment than a solution. Yet another one. The plan to evacuate the population of the Stripe of Gaza, the victim of one of the most destructive wars of the last 50 years, by transferring them to the poorest and most conflict-ridden country in the whole of Africa, almost sounds like a provocation.

Yet, it is once again South Sudan that is being picked up by the Israeli media as one of the potential destinations (along with Uganda, Indonesia, Somaliland and Libya) to resettle, in whole or in part, the two million Gazawi, should the plan proposed by the extreme right-wing ministers of the Israeli government, and indeed also by US President Donald Trump, go ahead.

The Qatari prime minister is on his way to Egypt to discuss a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Al Jazeera reported, a potential resumption of negotiations to help end more than 22 months of war.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani will arrive in Cairo five days after Hamas said a delegation had visited the Egyptian capital to hold talks with the country's officials.

The former commander-in-chief of Israeli military intelligence from 2021 to 2024,Aaron Haliva said that 50 Palestinians must die for every person killed in Hamas attacks against the Jewish state on 7 October 2023 and that 'it does not matter if they are children'. This is what emerges from recordings broadcast by the Israeli TV station Channel 12 and filmed by the British Guardian. In his shock statements, the general, who resigned last year from the top intelligence posts, not only claimed the right to indiscriminately kill the inhabitants of the Strip at a ratio of 50 to one, but also essentially confirmed the figures of Palestinian victims of Israeli military operations - over 60,000 - similar to those of the Hamas Ministry of Health. Not only that, Haliva spoke of the need to inflict "from time to time" a new Naqba, referring to the Arabic term that recalls the "catastrophe" of the expulsion of at least 700,000 Palestinians from their homes at the time of the birth of the State of Israel almost 80 years ago. Channel 12 did not clarify how it obtained the recordings of conversations or who Haliva was talking to, but pointed out that they date back to the last few months.

Ansa 13:13 - Marah's mother has just entered the prefecture of Pisa where she will have a meeting with Prefect Maria Luisa D'Alessandro, who had expressed the desire to meet with her after the death of the 20-year-old Palestinian girl who arrived in the Tuscan city from Gaza on a flight of the 46th air brigade in recent days as part of a medical evacuation operation ordered by the Italian government. The girl, Marah Abu Zuhri, died two days after her admission to hospital in Pisa as a result of "severe organic deterioration", as established by the Pisan doctors excluding instead the first hypothesis that she was suffering from a form of leukaemia. Accompanying the Palestinian woman to the Palazzo del Governo in Pisa was the city imam, Mohammad Khalil.

Ndr: actually there was also a blood problem see post of 10:29..

Some Palestinians are already leaving Gaza City ahead of the Israeli offensive, writes the Reuters news agency. Fearing that an Israeli assault could come soon, some Palestinian families have started to leave the eastern parts of Gaza City, now under constant Israeli bombardment, to head west and some have explored evacuation further south.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Gaza City as the last bastion of Hamas. Israel already holds 75% of Gaza.

At least 17 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli Army (IDF) attacks in the Gaza Strip since dawn today, including eight while waiting for humanitarian aid, Al Jazeera reports.

Hamas negotiators in Cairo have received a new proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, including a 60-day truce and the release of hostages in two tranches, a Palestinian official said. "The proposal is a framework agreement to start negotiations on a permanent ceasefire," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that "Hamas will hold internal consultations among its leaders" and with leaders of other Palestinian factions to examine the proposal.

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has announced that five Palestinians, including two children, have died of malnutrition in the last 24 hours, Al Jazeera reported. The figure brings to 263 the total number of people who have died in the Strip due to hunger and malnutrition since the beginning of hostilities, including 112 children.

"She arrived with the hypothesis of a very serious acute leukaemia that, however, after the appropriate investigations, we proved she did not have. We started an ad hoc therapy for that night, which, however, we immediately suspended when we got the results of the molecular cytofluorimetric tests, the specific tests to diagnose the disease". This was explained by Professor Sara Galimberti, director of the Haematology Operating Unit at the Aou Pisana, on the clinical condition of Marah Abu Zuhri, the young woman who arrived in Pisa from Gaza on a humanitarian flight and was admitted to her ward.

'The patient was extremely bedridden, in a completely bedridden condition even though she was 19 years old; this was not a situation she had been in for a few days but for a long time. A condition due to a probably underlying disease, misdiagnosed or never diagnosed,' explains Professor Galimberti. 'Marah had several altered coagulative parameters, but also very low proteins, so we immediately consulted the nutritionist and started ad hoc hypercaloric nutrition'. All this, however, was not enough. On the afternoon of mid-August, around 2.45 p.m., the girl's condition plummeted.

Israel's army chief of staff (Idf), Eyal Zamir, has approved the plan to occupy Gaza City and will present it to the defence minister tomorrow, Channel 12 reports, adding that in closed-door talks over the past few days Zamir said that the planned evacuation of the population will last just under two months, after which the encirclement and occupation of the city will take place. "Efforts will be made to reduce the use of reserve forces to the minimum possible," the IDF chief further stated.

"Life here is very, very difficult". Says Gaza parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli. "An order has come to evacuate the whole neighbourhood. And they said they are starting to distribute tents. One may think it's good news, 'how nice!', but this is in order for the evacuation of the whole city of Gaza", but "where can all the inhabitants" of the Strip, "two million three hundred thousand people find space....". During yesterday's mass 'we heard a very large explosion nearby that broke a water tank, nothing happened fortunately, only material losses', 'another Sunday of war'.

Human rights organisation Amnesty International today accused Israel of implementing a 'deliberate policy' to starve the population of Gaza, citing testimonies from displaced Palestinians and medical personnel treating malnourished children in the territory. Israel, while severely restricting aid allowed into the Gaza Strip, has repeatedly rejected accusations of deliberately starving the population in the 22-month-long war. Contacted by the Afp news agency, the Israeli army and foreign ministry had no comment. According to the organisation's report, 'Israel is conducting a deliberate campaign of starvation in the occupied Gaza Strip, systematically destroying the health, welfare and social fabric of Palestinian life'.

There is growing frustration in Israel over plans for a new military offensive in some of the most populated areas of Gaza. Many Israelis fear that this will further endanger the remaining hostages. Twenty of the remaining 50 are believed to be alive. Inside Gaza, war-weary Palestinians insist that they will no longer be displaced, arguing that there is nowhere safe to go.

The death toll of the Israeli army's attacks since this morning in the Gaza Strip has risen to 57. This was reported by the Al-Jazeera broadcaster, pointing out that 38 of the victims were killed while in search of humanitarian aid.

About 220,000 people gathered in front of the Museum of Art in Tel Aviv, in the area renamed Hostage Square, for the final event of the strike for the release of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. This was reported by local media citing police estimates.

The Israeli economy collapsed in the second quarter as the 12-day war with Iran forced the total closure of many businesses.

Gross domestic product fell by 3.5% year-on-year and seasonally adjusted, the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics reported on Sunday.

The IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, announced that the army would "soon move on to the next phase" of the ongoing offensive against Hamas. The Times of Israel reported this. In a statement published by the IDF, Zamir said, "Today we are approving the plan for the next phase of the war." "We will maintain the momentum of Operation Gideon's Chariots by focusing on Gaza City," he noted, referring to the military offensive against Hamas launched in May.

"We will continue to strike until Hamas is defeated, with our eyes on the hostages. We will act with a sophisticated, measured and responsible strategy. The IDF will employ all its land, air and sea capabilities to strike Hamas hard," Zamir continued. The IDF chief added: "We will soon move on to the next phase of Operation Chariots of Gideon, in which we will continue to increase the damage inflicted on Hamas in Gaza City until it is defeated." "Operation Gideon's Chariots has achieved its objectives," Zamir further said, adding that "Hamas no longer possesses the same capabilities it had before the operation; we have dealt it a severe blow." Zamir concluded that the offensive against Hamas is not 'localised', but rather part of a "long-term and planned programme, with a multi-pronged vision to strike all components of the axis, primarily Iran".

"For 22 months the abductees have been languishing in Gaza before your eyes. Instead of deceiving public opinion, spreading rumours and defaming the families of the abductees, return our loved ones with an agreement and end the war. This is the only decision the Israeli people are asking for, and it is the only possible decision'. This is the note from the Forum of the Families of the Israeli Hostages and Missing after accusations by PM Benyamin Netanyahu and other government figures. "They were kidnapped from the land of Israel under your responsibility, Netanyahu, and have been there for 22 months. The responsibility to bring them home is yours."

"Those who call today for an end to the war are not only hardening the position of Hamas and delaying the release of our hostages, they are also ensuring that the horrors of 7 October will be repeated and that we will have to fight an endless war." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quoted in Tel Aviv media as saying this. "Security control in the Gaza Strip is only one of our conditions for ending the war, conditions that Hamas refuses to accept. We insist not only on the disarmament of Hamas, but also that Israel impose the disarmament of the Gaza Strip over time."

There will be no Israeli participation in the forthcoming Fiera del Levante to be held in Bari from 13 to 21 September. This is according to the Fair Authority, which has thus taken up the appeal by the mayor of Bari, Vito Leccese, who on 1 July had called on 'Israel not to take part in the fair activities within the Bari fairgrounds, both institutional and economic'.

"We must not resign ourselves to the prevailing logic of conflict and weapons". Pope Leo said this at the Angelus. On the feast of the Assumption he added: "Today we want to entrust our prayer for peace to the intercession of the Virgin Mary". The Pontiff quoted Pius XII who in the midst of the Second World War said: "Never again waste human lives!". "How timely are these words," commented Leo XIV. "Even today, unfortunately, we feel powerless before the spread in the world of violence that is increasingly deaf and insensitive to every movement of humanity. Yet we must not cease to hope: God is greater than the sin of the world'.

The first to read was Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and then many, dozens of people, young and old, took turns to scan the more than 12,000 names of the children who died in the Holy Land until evening.

The memory of the abomination of the present comes from the place where in the autumn of 1944 the Nazi-Fascists were responsible for the worst massacre of civilians in the Second World War, the ruins of the church of Casaglia, in Monte Sole di Marzabotto. On the eve of Ferragosto, because the church set on fire by the SS was dedicated to the Assumption.