In the West Bank, Israeli forces punitively demolish the family home of a Palestinian man who was killed by Israeli forces in on 4/1. A vehicle parked on the street is also destroyed during the demolition, which was carried out with explosives. Israeli forces also seize a concrete mixer in Deir Balut. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities force a Palestinian family to demolish parts of their home in az-Za’ayyem. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Dayr al-Balah, Rafah, Nuseirat refugee camp, Jabalia refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Beit Lahiya, killing at least 22 people, including at least 15 at the Abdel Fattah Hamoud and al-Zahraa schools in Gaza City. Israeli forces also order Palestinians in the Khan Yunis villages of Bani Suheila, Abasan, Khuza’a, and Sheikh Nasser to evacuate. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Kfar Kila, Bint Jbeil, Doueir, Majdal Zoun, Yarine, Rachaf, Hadada, at-Tiri, Ayta ash Shab, and Hula, injuring 3 people in Yarine. Hezbollah forces fire rockets at the Ramim military site, Shlomi, and Kabri. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb a site near al-Shayrat Airport southeast of Homs, injuring 4 Syrian soldiers and causing damage. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/8; HA, WAFA 8/9)
More than 39,699 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 16,314 children and 10,980 women, and around 91,722 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 610 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 140 children. More than 5,420 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured in Israel since 10/7/2023, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 329 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,176 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27/2023. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7/2023. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12/2023 due to the Israeli blockade. At least 79,000 housing units have been destroyed and 370,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023. UNRWA says that there has been a 300% increase in malnutrition cases in Gaza since May. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 8/8)
Israel bas Supreme Islamic Council head Ekrima Sabri from the Haram al-Sharif compound for 6 months. Sabri was arrested on 8/2 after he gave a sermon mourning Ismail Haniyeh. (AJ, WAFA 8/8)
Officials from the PFLP and Hamas meet in Doha, discussing cooperation between the two parties and the need for national unity. (AJ 8/8)
The PA releases a statement demanding that the ICC issue an arrest warrant for Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich over his 8/5 comments that Israel should be allowed to starve Palestinians in Gaza. The U.S. calls Smotrich’s comments appalling. (AJ, AJ, HA, WAFA 8/8)
The U.S., Qatar, and Egypt release a statement extending an invitation to Israel and Hamas for ceasefire talks on 8/15, saying they “are prepared to present a final bridging proposal that resolves the remaining implementation issues in a manner that meets the expectations of all parties.” Israel says it will send a delegation. (AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, NYT, REU 8/8; AP, HA 8/9)
Israel revokes the diplomatic accreditation for 8 Norwegian diplomats working with the PA. The 8 officials will also have their visas revoked in 3 months. Israel says the decision is a response to “a flurry of recent anti-Israel and unilateral steps taken by the government of Norway,” including recognizing the State of Palestine and comments by Norwegian officials. Norway calls the decision “an extreme act” that will have consequences for Norway’s “relationship with the Netanyahu government.” PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh calls the decision dangerous and calls on the EU to respond “in kind.” EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borell condemns the move. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller says the revocation of the diplomatic accreditations is not “particularly helpful.” (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/8)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with settlement leaders in Tel Aviv, telling them that Israel will work to block sanctions on settlers. Netanyahu also gives an interview with Time, saying Israel should have waged a full-scale war against Hamas years ago, blaming the Israeli security establishment for its reluctance to do so. In the interview, Netanyahu also refers to the West Bank as Israel’s homeland, saying Israel intends to stay there and that Israel is “not going to do ethnic cleansing of Jews anymore [sic] than we’re going to do ethnic cleansing of Arabs.” (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, TIME 8/8)
U.S. vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s national security advisor Phil Gordon says in a tweet that Harris does not support an arms embargo on Israel. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT, REU 8/8)
The U.S. military says F-22 Raptor fighter jets have arrived in the “Central Command area of responsibility” to “mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or its proxies.” Iranian acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri tells AFP that the Israeli assassination of Ismail Haniyeh will cost Israel gravely. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks with Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant. (AJ, AP, HA 8/8; HA 8/9)