Live: 54 Palestinians killed, 831 wounded in 24 hours

Mossad spy chief David Barnea is visiting Qatar for Gaza peace talks, two Israeli officials have told Reuters. 

This follows the recent meeting between a senior Hamas delegation and Egypt's intelligence chief in Cairo, where Hamas communicated an eagerness to return to ceasefire negotiations.

Reporting by Reuters

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister, has announced that he is set to approve the highly controversial E1 settlement project as it “buries the idea of a Palestinian state”. 

The minister said on Wednesday that he planned to approve tenders to build more than 3,000 housing units for Israeli settlers, in an area that aims to connect existing settlements in Maale Adumim in the occupied West Bank with occupied East Jerusalem.

“Approval of construction plans in E1 buries the idea of a Palestinian state and continues the many steps we are taking on the ground as part of the de facto sovereignty plan that we began implementing with the establishment of the government,” Smotrich said.

“After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Maale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its best - building, settling, and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel.” 

The announcement appears to be a direct response to France, Britain, Canada and Australia announcing in recent days their intentions to recognise a Palestinian state at a United Nations summit next month. 

Read more: Israel's Smotrich to approve E1 settlement plan that 'buries Palestinian state'

Israel's military chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, has approved the "core concept for capturing" Gaza City, following authorisation from the security cabinet, Israeli media has reported. 

As per the report, Zamir's approval came after a meeting with the General Staff Forum, Shin Bet representatives and other senior commanders. The operation would require calling up between 80,000 and 100,000 reservists under emergency mobilisation orders. 

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister, has announced that he is set to approve the highly controversial E1 settlement project, as it "buries the idea of a Palestinian state". 

The minister said on Wednesday that he planned to approve tenders to build more than 3,000 housing units for Israeli settlers, in an area that aims to connect existing settlements in Maale Adumim in the occupied West Bank with occupied East Jerusalem.

The Israeli authorities have rejected requests from "dozens" of NGOs for life-saving aid to enter the Gaza Strip, leaving "millions of dollars'' worth of goods stranded in warehouses, over 100 organisations have reported.

A statement signed by NGOs, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Save the Children, reported that Israel had denied the requests on the grounds that the organisations were "not authorised to deliver aid", despite many of them having worked in Gaza for decades.

Consequently, millions of dollars worth of food, medicine, water and shelter equipment is currently languishing in warehouses across Jordan and Egypt, while Israeli-imposed starvation grips Gaza - killing over 200 Palestinians so far, half of them children.

In July alone, the authorities refused some 60 requests for aid deliveries, according to the statement.

Sean Carroll, president and CEO of the NGO Anera, said the organisation "has over "$7m worth of lifesaving supplies ready to enter Gaza – including 744 tons of rice, enough for six million meals, blocked in Ashdod just kilometres away".

The organisations said the obstruction stems from new INGO registration rules introduced by Israel in March, which stipulate that applicants can be rejected on the basis of arbitrary and politicised allegations such as "delegitimising Israel". 

Under the provisions, organisations can also be rejected on the basis that their staff, a partner, board member or founder showed public support for the boycott of Israel in the past seven years.

Registration also requires NGOs to disclose sensitive details about their personnel, including private donors and lists of Palestinian staff, with some issued a seven-day ultimatum to provide this information.

If they fail to submit this data, organisations could be barred from operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Read more: 'Millions of dollars' of Gaza aid stranded in warehouses as Israel rejects NGO requests for entry

Israeli forces have killed at least 54 Palestinians and wounded 831 others across Gaza in 24 hours, the Palestinian health ministry in the enclave has said. 

The dead include 22 aid seekers, the ministry said on Telegram.

During the same period, at least four people have starved to death, bringing the toll of hunger-related deaths to 239, which includes 106 children, the ministry said.

Israel has killed at least 61,776 Palestinians and wounded 154,906 others since 7 October 2023, the ministry added.

The total number of aid seekers killed since May has reached 1,881, the statement said.

Before the start of the European Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Tottenham in Italy, the Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) raised a banner reading: "Stop killing children... Stop killing civilians," referring to the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. 

Uefa also shared the message on X : "From the UEFA Super Cup in Udine, the message is loud and clear. A banner. A call."

On 9 August, Uefa paid tribute to Palestinian footballer Suleiman al-Obeid, known as the "Palestinian Pelé", following his killing in an Israeli attack in southern Gaza. 

"Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pelé'," Uefa wrote on social media. "A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times."

Uefa omitted to mention the circumstances of his death, drawing criticism from thousands, including Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, who asked: “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”

In November 2024, PSG fans had unfurled a "Free Palestine" banner during a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid. After demands for sanctions against the team were raised, Uefa had said it only bans political messages perceived as insulting or provocative, which wasn't the case with the pro-Palestine banner.

According to the Palestinian Football Association, at least 400 footballers have been killed by Israel in Gaza. Nearly 300 sports facilities, including stadiums, gyms and club buildings, have been destroyed.

From the UEFA Super Cup in Udine, the message is loud and clear.

A banner. A call. pic.twitter.com/HNjPja4OBk

— UEFA (@UEFA) August 13, 2025

Israel has killed 23 Palestinians in Gaza since dawn, Al Jazeera has reported, quoting medical sources. 

The death toll includes eight killed in an Israeli strike on a family home early this morning in Gaza City, and 10 people killed waiting for aid. 

Since October 2023, the Israeli military has killed at least 61,722 Palestinians, while 154,525 others have been wounded. 

Four more Palestinians have been starved to death in the past 24 hours, the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza has said.

The latest casualty raises the toll of Palestinians who have been killed because of the Israeli-imposed blockade to 239. Among the starved are 106 children. 

Israel has imposed a near-complete blockade of aid in Gaza. More than 100 international NGOs have said in a joint letter that Israeli authorities have rejected requests of dozens of NGOs to bring essential goods to Gaza.

According to the letter, whose signatories include Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), at least 60 aid requests for Gaza were rejected in July alone.

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has approved plans for splitting East Jerusalem from the occupied West Bank, a move his office said would "bury the idea" of a Palestinian state, Reuters news agency has reported. 

In a statement headlined "Burying the idea of a Palestinian state," Smotrich's spokesperson said the minister would give a press conference later on Thursday about the plan to build 3,401 houses for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem. 

Israel has killed 16 Palestinians in Gaza since dawn, Al Jazeera Arabic has reported, quoting medical sources. 

The death toll includes eight killed in an Israeli strike on a family home early this morning in Gaza City, and five people killed waiting for aid. 

The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) have said that they have filed a complaint at the International Criminal Court (ICC) against those behind the killing of Palestinian journalists, including Anas al-Sharif.

The HRF and PCHR have identified Israel's Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir, Major-General Tomer Bar, Major-General Yaniv Asor, Brigadier-General Yossi Sariel, General A (Unit 8200), the Palmachim Airbase's commander, a squadron commander dubbed “Black Snake” and Colonel Avichay Adraee as those responsible for the killings. 

On Sunday, the Israeli military announced that it had attacked a journalists' tent near al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Sharif, who was one of the most prominent journalists covering Israel's assault on Gaza, was the target of the attack.

In addition to Sharif, six other Palestinians were killed in the attack, including Al Jazeera correspondent and Middle East Eye contributor Mohammed Qreiqeh as well as camera operators Mohammed Noufal, Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa.

The HRF is a Belgium-based organisation formed to challenge Israeli impunity concerning war crimes and human rights violations in Palestine.

The PCHR is a Gaza-based NGO dedicated to protecting human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory.

🚨Breaking: #HindRajabFoundation & @pchrgaza file ICC complaint against those behind killing Anas Al-Sharif & colleagues:
Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar, Maj.-Gen. Yaniv Asor, Gen. A (Unit 8200), Palmachim Airbase Cmdr, “Black Snake” Sq Cmdr & Col. Avichay Adraee.…

— The Hind Rajab Foundation (@HindRFoundation) August 12, 2025

Israel has killed 11 Palestinians in Gaza since dawn, Al Jazeera has reported, quoting medical sources. 

The death toll includes eight killed in an Israeli strike on a family home early this morning in Gaza City and one person killed at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution point.

A new Israeli law regulating foreign NGOs has been increasingly used to deny their requests to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip, according to a letter signed by more than 100 NGOs, news agency AFP has reported. 

“The Israeli authorities have rejected the requests of dozens of NGOs to bring essential goods [to Gaza], claiming that these organisations are not authorised to provide aid,” the joint statement says. 

“Despite statements from Israeli authorities that there is no limit to the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, most major international NGOs have not been able to deliver a single truck of vital supplies since March 2,” the letter said.

According to the letter, whose signatories include Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), at least 60 aid requests for Gaza were rejected in July alone.

In March, the Israeli government approved a new set of rules for foreign non-governmental organisations working with Palestinians.

This law updates the framework governing how aid groups must register to maintain their status in Israel, as well as provisions specifying how their requests can be refused or their registration revoked. 

The Israeli military said on Thursday that it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, with Houthis claiming responsibility for the attack, news agency AFP has reported. 

Israel's army said on Telegram that a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the air force.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had launched a "Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile" targeting Israel's Ben Gurion airport.

The Yemeni Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles and drones at Israel since October 2023. 

Israel has carried out several retaliatory strikes in Yemen, targeting ports and the airport in the capital Sanaa. 

Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel could bomb Palestinians like the Allies in World War II bombed Dresden. 

He made these comments during an interview with right-wing US network Newsmax. 

When asked why the Israeli military does not "wipe Hamas and the Gaza Strip" off the map, he replied: "Because, we do not – we can bomb them like the allies bombed Dresden, we could starve them if we followed the vilifications, these false lies that are delivered against Israel, and nobody would be alive already”,  adding that Israel "tries to go only after the terrorists".

Since October 2023, the Israeli military has killed at least 61,722 people, while others 154,525 have been wounded.