In the West Bank, Israeli settlers shoot and kill a Palestinian man and injure 6 others during an attack on Wadi Rahal. Israeli settlers also attack Palestinian vehicles in Tuqu’. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers attack Palestinians and steal their property in al-‘Awja. Israeli forces bomb Nur Shams refugee camp, killing 5 Palestinians, including 2 children. Israeli forces also shoot and kill a Palestinian man during a raid in Yatta. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and injure 2 Palestinians with baton rounds in Idhna. Israeli forces also assault a Palestinian man in Kafr ad-Dik. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 15 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Nablus, Qalqilya, Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, Dayr al-Balah, Maghazi, Nuseirat refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, Khan Yunis, and Jabalia refugee camp, killing at least 30 people. Israeli forces also shoot and kill 7 Palestinians fishing in Gaza City, wounding several others. In Haifa, Israeli police order the closure of the Hadash party’s local branch, saying it planned to screen a film by Mohammad Bakri on Israeli raids in Jenin in 2023. In Lebanon, Israeli forces attempt to assassinate a Hamas member in Sidon, Hamas says the man survived. Israeli forces also bomb Kfar Kila, Tayr Harfa, Shebaa, Chamaa, Naqoura, and Ayta ash Shab. Hezbollah forces launch a drone at a military post in Ramyah. (AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/26; AJ, AP, HA, HA, WAFA 8/27; UNOCHA 8/28)
More than 40,435 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 16,456 children and 11,088 women, and around 93,534 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 641 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 144 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, 338 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,254 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. Palestinians flee Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Dayr al-Balah, however, the hospital says it will remain open despite an evacuation order. Save the Children says the Israeli evacuation order for Dayr al-Balah “may be the final blow to the aid operations in Gaza.” The UN says it halted all operations in Gaza after the evacuation orders for Dayr al-Balah on 8/25. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA 8/26; AJ 8/29)
Human Rights Watch says 8 Palestinian health workers from Gaza interviewed after being released from Israeli detention were humiliated, beaten, forced into stress positions, experienced prolonged handcuffing and blindfolding, and were denied medical care while in custody. They also reported torture of other detainees, including rape and sexual abuse. (AJ, HRW, WAFA 8/26)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas arrives in Saudi Arabia where he is greeted by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan ahead of a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on 8/27. (AJ, WAFA 8/26)
Egyptian security sources tell Reuters that both Hamas and Israel have turned down the compromise proposal presented by mediators. Egypt denies the Israeli claim that there are active tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border. (AJ, HA 8/26)
Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says new Israeli policy allows Jewish people to pray at the Haram al-Sharif compound and says he will build a synagogue at the compound. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says, “there is no change in the status quo.” Hamas calls on Palestinians to protest. Qatar warns that Ben-Gvir’s statements can impact the ceasefire negotiations and calls on the international community to deter Israel from making any changes in Jerusalem. Jordan says it will take “all necessary measures to stop the attacks on the holy sites,” adding it is preparing to take legal action in international courts. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, and the OIC condemn Ben-Gvir’s statements. The Israeli public broadcaster KAN reports that the Israeli Ministry of Heritage will allocate $543,000 to fund National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s project to increase settler tours on the Haram al-Sharif compound. Hamas condemns the move and calls on the OIC to “take responsibility.” (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/26; AJ, NA, NYT, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/27)
The Israeli military says it has received 50,000 tonnes of military equipment from the U.S. in 500 flights and 107 sea shipments since 10/7/2023. U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairperson Charles Brown meets with Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant and military chief of staff Herzi Halevi in Tel Aviv, discussing joint efforts in defense of Israel. (AJ, AP, HA, REU, REU 8/26; AP 8/27)
Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani meets with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran, briefing them on ceasefire negotiations. Araghchi says Iran supports any ceasefire deal approved by Hamas. (AJ, HA 8/26)
The Columbia University branch of Students for Justice in Palestine says Instagram has deleted its profile which had more than 124,000 followers. (AJ 8/27)