Live: 54 Palestinians killed, 831 wounded in 24 hours

Israeli politician Yair Golan has said that the Israeli forces must refuse a military order "as a last resort" to end the war in Gaza, Haaretz has reported. 

"This is a step that requires the IDF to take a political stance, and we should save that for something very extreme," Golan, former Israeli military deputy chief of staff, told protesters with the Standing Together movement, outside his home.

"I don't think we're far from there, but before that, we must make a supreme effort to end this struggle in the political arena and in the public arena. Meaning, take to the streets, shut down the country, exercise the civilian powers we have, and make more assertive use of our right to strike and demonstrate." 

The General Secretariat of the Arab League has said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements regarding the creation of "Greater Israel" are a violation of the sovereignty of Arab states and an attempt to undermine security and stability in the region. 

These statements constitute a serious threat to collective Arab security and a serious challenge to international law and the principles of international legitimacy, the General Secretariat said in a statement. 

Greater Israel refers to an area that includes the occupied Palestinian territory as well as parts of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. 

Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, said during an interview with i24 that he felt "very much" connected to the vision of 'Greater Israel'.

Responding to the statement, Arab League has said that Netanyahu's remarks reflect expansionist and aggressive intentions that cannot be accepted or tolerated, revealing an extremist mindset steeped in colonial illusions. 

The statement urged the international community, represented by the UN Security Council, to fulfil its responsibility and respond decisively to these extremist statements, which destabilise the region and fuel hatred. 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israel that there is evidence of sexual violence against Palestinians by Israeli forces, according to Reuters.

Guterres has put Israel on notice, saying that Israel's army could be added to a list of parties suspected of sexual violence as early as next year.

The crimes include incidents of genital violence, prolonged forced nudity of Palestinian prisoners, and abusing and degrading strip searches aimed at humiliation and interrogation. 

In his letter, Guterres said "limited information has been provided [by Israeli forces] on accountability measures undertaken in relation to alleged incidents of sexual violence, despite witness testimony and digital evidence of Israeli soldiers committing such violations".

Israeli authorities issued demolition and evacuation orders on Wednesday for more than 13 residential, agricultural, and industrial facilities in the Wadi al-Houd area of al-Eizariya town, southeast of Jerusalem, Wafa news agency reported.

The Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement that the demolitions orders were part of a plan to create a road.

The orders come one day after approximately 14 similar orders were issued in the Wadi al-Jamal and Jabal al-Baba areas, and a few days after 13 orders were issued at the entrance to al-Eizariya. The road threatens to separate Wadi al-Jamal and Jabal al-Baba from the town and completely isolate the areas.

The Israeli military have destroyed more than 300 homes and killed families living there in a three-day assault on Zeitoun, one of the largest neighbourhoods in Gaza City, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday.

Gaza's Civil Defence officials said entire families were killed without warning when their homes were blown up using bombs that were so powerful they also levelled surrounding buildings.

In addition, rescue crews were blocked from reaching injured people or recovering dead bodies.

The non-stop bombardment and destruction of Zeitoun neighbourhood first started on Tuesday.

The assault is part of Israel's plans to seize control of Gaza City and forcefully expel around one million residents southwards in violation of international law. 

The number of Palestinians held in Israeli jails has reached the highest since the Second Intifada in 2000, the Palestinian Prisoners Information Office announced on Wednesday.

The organisation said the number of detainees for August was 10,800 people, including 49 women, and more than 450 children.

It added that more than a third - 3,613 people - are being held without charge or trial, the highest figure recorded to date.

In an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday, a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff member described Gaza’s healthcare sector as “utterly horrific” following targeted Israeli attacks.

Nursing activities manager Nastasha Davies told the news network that there is “not one fully functioning” state hospital left and that the current skeletal facilities are “absolutely incapable of meeting the huge demand” in Gaza.

Davies also expressed concern that healthcare workers “go to work not sure if [they’re] ever going to come back to [their] family”.

Israel has systemically targeted healthcare workers in Gaza.

Everybody, including health workers, is facing a widespread famine and starvation in the strip.

At least 98 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza since dawn, Al Jazeera reported, citing medical sources.

More than a third - 37 - were aid seekers, and nearly two-thirds - 61 - were killed in Gaza City, as Israel steps up its offensive to take over Gaza City.

Frustrated humanitarian aid drivers and United Nations officials criticised the obstacles they are facing transporting food and medicine into Gaza after they were turned back at the Egyptian border by Israel on Sunday, according to a report by Reuters.

The news agency interviewed seven aid officials and three truck drivers on Monday, who said they faced obstacles such as "rejection of shipments for minor packing and paperwork issues", "heavy scrutiny over possible dual military use for a range of goods" and "short working hours at the Israeli border crossing".

A World Health Organisation (WHO) employee working at the Rafah border told Reuters their cargo was blocked for carrying "illegal medicines".

Reuters verified that they saw vehicles with the WHO's blue logos, and labels describing contents like topical medications and suction devices to clean wounds.

Reuters said it asked the Israeli military authority in charge of coordinating aid into Gaza why the vehicles were not let into Gaza and did not receive a response.

Former Irish President and former United Nations high commissioner for human rights Mary Robinson said that the United States is the country "most complicit" in the genocide in Gaza.

She made the comment during an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic during a visit to the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Monday, as part of a delegation from the Elders group of global leaders.

She also said there is a famine underway in Gaza and that thousands of trucks are prevented from entering Gaza on "illogical pretexts, and that states need to do everything they can to stop the genocide".

Jordan’s foreign ministry has condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements on his "Greater Israel" vision as dangerous, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday. 

Greater Israel refers to an area which includes occupied Palestinian territory as well as parts of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. 

The ministry spokesperson, Sufyan Qudah, said the comments were a dangerous and provocative escalation, a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.

Qudah emphasised the need for the international community to act immediately to stop provocative Israeli actions and statements that threaten the region’s stability and international peace and security.

An Israeli settler shot and killed a Palestinian in the West Bank on Wednesday, while the army confirmed an off-duty soldier shot a Palestinian who was throwing rocks, AFP reported on Wednesday. 

Thameen Khalil Reda Dawabsheh, 35, was killed in a settler attack in Duma, south of Nablus, while the Palestinian who was killed by the off-duty soldier has not been named. 

Duma village council head Suleiman Dawabsheh told the AFP a group of Israeli settlers trespassed on land north of the town while farmers were working on their land. 

"A group of settlers arrived on a tractor and another vehicle, and immediately tried to kidnap a boy about 14–15 years old, taking him away," he told AFP.

Dawabsheh said that residents managed to rescue the boy from the settlers, but "one of the settlers opened fire directly at  Thameen Dawabsheh", resulting in him being killed.

South Sudan’s foreign ministry has denied that they are in talks with Israel to "resettle" Palestinians from Gaza in the country, which would amount to the forced expulsion of Palestinians from the enclave and is illegal under international law. 

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that Israel was holding discussions with South Sudan to forcibly move Palestinians to the war-torn East African country, according to six people they had spoken to for the news report.

“These claims are baseless and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan,” the foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.

An air traffic controller was suspended in France after saying "Free Palestine" to an Israeli airline crew.

The staff member at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport said the slogan during a radio exchange with the crew of an El Al flight on Monday, the French Ministry of Transport announced.

"Analysis of the recordings proves that the facts are true," Minister Philippe Tabarot wrote on X on Tuesday.

He added that the controller had "been deprived of all authority to work until further notice".

"Disciplinary proceedings were immediately initiated. The sanction must be commensurate with the seriousness of the facts," Tabarot said.

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At least 81 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn, Al Jazeera Arabic is reporting, citing medical sources.

It previously reported that at least 25 aid seekers have been killed by Israeli forces since dawn, but has since reported that at least 12 aid seekers were killed in Israeli attacks north of Gaza City alone, citing medical sources.