Live: Strike announced in Israel amid mounting anger at Netanyahu

Hamas has condemned Israel's decision to organise tours to Al-Aqsa Mosque, calling it a "dangerous escalation" and warning that it could ignite a religious war in the region.

The group labelled the funding of these "Zionist tours" as playing with fire, which could lead to dire consequences. Hamas also urged the broader Arab and Islamic communities to mobilise and protest against what they described as "occupation crimes".

Recently, Israel's far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir announced plans to establish a Jewish synagogue within Al-Aqsa Mosque, claiming it was about "equality between the rights of Muslims and Jews to perform prayers inside the mosque".

This statement came shortly after Ben-Gvir, along with hundreds of Israeli settlers, stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The United States remains committed to defending Israel in the event of an Iranian attack, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday.

In an interview with Israel's Channel 12, Kirby acknowledged the uncertainty of an attack but said that the White House takes Iran's rhetoric seriously, Reuters reported.

"We believe they are still positioned and ready to launch an attack if they choose to, which is why we maintain an enhanced force presence in the region," he said.

"Our message to Iran remains consistent: one, don't do it. There's no reason to escalate this or trigger an all-out regional war. And two, we will be prepared to defend Israel if necessary."

Moody’s has issued a warning that a full-scale military conflict involving Hezbollah or Iran could have severe "credit consequences" for Israel.

The credit ratings agency noted that while it currently expects the ongoing tensions not to escalate into such a conflict, doing so would significantly impact Israel’s debt issuers.

In its statement, Moody’s said that "an all-out military conflict with Hezbollah or Iran could have significant credit consequences for Israeli debt issuers."

This warning comes after Moody’s downgraded Israel’s credit rating in February to A2, with a negative outlook due to political and fiscal risks stemming from Israel's ongoing war on Gaza.

Haim Korsia, chief Rabbi of France, made a series of statements during a French television interview regarding the conflict in Gaza.

Korsia characterised the violence in Gaza as an "act of war" that he attributes to Hamas, blaming the group for the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza and claiming falsely that it has refused to accept a ceasefire proposal. 

It has been widely documented that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has steadfastly refused any ceasefire with Hamas. 

When Korsia was asked about participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, Korsia linked the ongoing conflict to Hamas's actions, saying that Israel's military response is justified and that he does not feel uncomfortable with Israel's defence policy.

During the interview, when the journalist pressed Korsia about the civilian casualties in Gaza and the overall situation, Korsia maintained that the actions of Israel were necessary for defending its citizens and did not equate the casualties on both sides.

He said that despite the high death toll in Gaza, he believes that many countries, including Arab nations, would prefer if Israel "finished the job".

 One day after they buried their brother, the al-Abadla siblings found his leg about 200 meters away from where he was killed by what they believe was an Israeli drone strike in Gaza.

Ahmed Saeed Masoud al-Abadla, 29, who had Down syndrome, had been displaced for around nine months, living in a tent in Mawasi al-Qarara in Gaza’s Khan Younis along with his mother and married brother, Feras.

Before going missing for three days, Ahmed wanted to return to his home in Qarara to inspect the damage during an Israeli incursion into the southern Gaza Strip.

“Ahmed had exceptional cognitive abilities for someone with his condition. When he joined the Right to Life School as a child, he received a certificate proving that he was one of the smartest children with Down syndrome,” his brother, Feras, told Middle East Eye.

READ MORE: Gaza family accuses Israel of killing Palestinian with Down syndrome during incursion

Newly elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has spoken in regard to ongoing regional tensions: 

• "We do not want war with anyone, but we will not submit to injustice, and we will continue to oppose the oppressor."
• "Every human being is affected by the crimes taking place in Gaza, but human rights advocates support the Zionist entity."
• "We are able to strengthen relations with neighbouring countries, and we must work to overcome the sanctions imposed on us."

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a surface drone and three speedboats were spotted near a vessel in the Red Sea.

This incident occurred 44 km west of al-Makha (Mocha), Yemen, according to the British maritime security agency.

Israel's military has said that its troops have freed a captive held in Gaza during a "complex rescue operation" on Tuesday. 

It said that Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, a Palestinian Bedouin citizen of Israel, was rescued in the southern Gaza Strip after being held for 10 months. 

"We are doing everything to save the hostages," Herzi Halevi, the head of Israel's military, said in a statement.

Alkadi was taken captive from Kibbutz Magen, one of several southern Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip attacked by Hamas and other Palestinian groups on 7 October. 

During the attack, around 1,200 people - mostly civilians - were killed, while over 250 others were taken captive and to Gaza.

Read more: Israeli troops free Palestinian Bedouin captive held in Gaza

Palestinian-British plastic and reconstructive surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta has been vindicated after an application by the General Medical Council to suspend him from practicing medicine was strongly rejected by the Interim Orders Tribunal.

The complaint was filed by pro-Israel lobby group UK Lawyers For Israel (UKLFI), claiming that posts he had allegedly made on social media impaired his fitness to practice medicine, and sought for his medical license to be suspended.

Ghassan Abu Sitta rose to prominence as one of the doctors treating patients in Gaza in the early weeks of Israel's war on the enclave. 

Gaza's civil defence said in a statement that they recovered the bodies of six Palestinians following an Israeli strike on a home in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

Seven injured Palestinians were also rescued from the scene.

Israeli news site Haaretz is reporting that recently freed captive Kaid Farhan al-Qadi was kidnapped from Kibbutz Magen, where he worked as a security guard.

According to Haaretz, he is married and has 11 children.

Al-Qadi is being transferred to hospital for further examination.

The Israeli military has said that troops rescued a captive in southern Gaza as part of “a complex rescue operation” jointly conducted by the army and Shin Bet.

In a press conference it confirmed that Kaid Farhan al-Qadi was recovered and that his medical condition was normal.

Israel is buying advertising on Google search results for "Unrwa", in a clear attempt to discredit the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Wired reported on Monday. 

According to the report, the Israeli government advertising agency bought ads for searches for "Unrwa" and "Unrwa USA" to draw search users to a website linking the agency to Hamas. 

On the government-run website, Israel alleges that Unrwa has not declared whether employing Hamas members violates its neutrality, a charge the agency strongly rejects. 

In January, several western countries suspended financing Unrwa after Israel accused 12 of the organisation's 30,000 employees of participating in the surprise attack by Hamas on southern Israel on 7 October. 

The Colonna report, which was commissioned by the UN to probe Israel's allegations, found that Israeli authorities had not provided "any supporting evidence" to back up allegations of Unrwa staff links to Hamas. 

Read more: Israel buying ads on Google searches of 'Unrwa' to discredit UN agency

The Israeli authorities are withholding 552 bodies of Palestinians according to detainee rights group Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS).

"The number of bodies being held has reached 552 people in the numbered cemeteries and refrigerators, including 256 in the numbered cemeteries, including 296 since the return of the detention policy in 2015," PPS said in a statement.

According to PPS, the bodies include nine women, 32 prisoners, and 55 children under the age of 18.

The group added that the figure excludes detainees from Gaza, which is estimated to be in the hundreds.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has reported that several injured people have arrived at the Kuwaiti field hospital following Israeli strikes on central Khan Younis.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli air strikes targeted two homes in the area. Wafa news agency reported that several people were killed and injured in the attack. 

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera is reporting that at least three people were killed in an Israeli attack on Gaza City's Zeitoun neghbourhood, and a woman and several others were wounded in another attack on the al-Musaddar area in the east of Deir el-Balah.

According to Gaza's civil defence, a total of 20 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since this morning.

Today, the Kuwait Red Crescent field hospital, operated by the Palestine Red Crescent Society in #KhanYunis, received several injured individuals following Israeli airstrikes on various areas in central #KhanYunis. pic.twitter.com/tTMpeAe94H

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) August 27, 2024