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Dear A.,
Israel is continuing to prepare for an offensive against Gaza City, one of the last remaining Hamas strongholds.
Israeli troops have been operating on the outskirts of the city, and the IDF last week approved its operational plans to seize control of all of it.
In the coming days, 80,000 IDF troops are set to
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encircle Gaza City, supported by tanks, armored personnel carriers, and other armored vehicles, before moving into the heart of the city to destroy Hamas' terror infrastructure.
Ahead of the operation, following IDF warnings, Palestinian civilians have begun
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leaving Gaza City and heading towards humanitarian areas outside of the combat zone in southern Gaza.
Earlier today, President Trump strongly backed Israel's impending operation, calling for Hamas to be "confronted and destroyed:"
As the pressure from Israel and the United States builds, Hamas today
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reportedly accepted a hostage-ceasefire offer made by Qatar and Egypt along the terms it had rejected several weeks ago.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "I hear the reports in the media, and from them you can gather one thing — Hamas is under immense pressure."
Israel has not received any formal response or seen the final proposal.
Meanwhile, Israel is also continuing to
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expand its humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza, announcing new aid corridors, another humanitarian zone, and continuing to surge in truckloads of aid.
Israel is establishing a new humanitarian zone in southern Gaza for families relocating from Gaza City, installing water infrastructure there, and coordinating with international medical organizations.
While Israel works to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Hamas is prolonging the suffering of Israelis and Palestinians alike.
The United States must stand with Israel and increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Qatar, Turkey and Iran to release all 50 hostages still held in captivity.
New analysis highlights propaganda out of Gaza
As Israel's massive aid efforts continue, The Free Press yesterday
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published an investigation into recent viral photos used to support claims of starvation in Gaza.
The investigation found that a dozen of the "viral images of starvation in Gaza also lacked important context: The subjects of those photos have significant health problems. Those appeared all over social media... without disclosing the complicated medical histories that help explain their stark appearances."
"Those photos have helped convince a growing number of Americans that Israel has induced famine and is committing war crimes in Gaza," the report adds.
You can read the full report
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here .
U.S. envoy to discuss Israeli position towards Lebanon
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy Tom Barrack
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met today with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, following a recent decision announced by the Lebanese government for the country's military to develop a plan to disarm Hezbollah.
The plan is to be submitted for the government's consideration by August 31.
However, Hezbollah's leader last week said that the Iran-backed terror group will not give up its weapons and will fight to keep them.
Barrack said the United States is "in the process of now discussing with Israel what their position is."
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Israeli troops are holding five strategic positions inside Lebanon in order to protect Israeli communities in Israel's north, and have conducted hundreds of airstrikes and ground operations to destroy Hezbollah weapons and infrastructure as the terror group seeks to rebuild.
The United States must ensure the Lebanese government follows through on its stated commitment to disarming Hezbollah, and continue to ensure Israel has the resources and support needed to defend its people.
Whistleblower accuses U.N. agencies of "gross misconduct"
Fox News
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reported on Friday that an aid worker in Gaza has filed a formal whistleblower complaint to the Inspector General of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) alleging "gross misconduct and misuse of humanitarian funds" by U.N. agencies.
The complaint alleges that U.N. agencies "are inhibiting the distribution" of humanitarian aid by refusing to work with Israel and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
"The allegations here suggest a directive from the [U.N.] Secretary General himself across the U.N. system to cause aid disruptions for the benefit of Hamas, which would be the biggest U.N. scandal since oil for food," Foundation for Defense of Democracies Senior Adviser Rich Goldberg said.
PICTURE OF THE DAY
The first yahrtzeit of "Beautiful Six" hostages killed in Gaza
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Today at sundown marks the first yahrtzeit of the "Beautiful Six" Israeli hostages who were murdered in Gaza: Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Almog Sarusi, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Carmel Gat, and Ori Danino.
May their memories be a blessing.
Other notable headlines
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‘No ceasefire’: Khamenei military adviser warns war with Israel could restart at any time
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IDF intercepts missile from Yemen, hours after Israeli Navy hit Houthi power plant
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Israeli security forces prevent terror attack, arrest two in Ramallah
Continue to
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follow AIPAC on social media for the latest updates.
Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications
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Support our work to keep Israel safe.
The mission of AIPAC is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our ally Israel.
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