Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (July 29 – August 4,2025)
IDF forces continued extensive aerial and ground strikes in the Gaza Strip, eliminated terrorist operatives, and destroyed weapons and terrorist facilities; Hamas announced it was suspending its participation in indirect ceasefire negotiations, citing the continuation of the "policy of hunger and killing." Videos were published of Israeli hostages suffering from malnutrition, for which Hamas blamed Israel; Hamas continued promoting its "hunger" narrative despite the increase in the number of humanitarian aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip and the expansion of aid airdrops; Hamas said it would not give up the weapons of the "resistance," and condemned the statement by the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, who said that only those who accepted the international commitments of the PLO would be allowed to participate in the Palestinian National Council elections; The Egyptian foreign minister reported that his country was training hundreds of Palestinians to take on roles in security in the Gaza Strip after the war ended; Hamas leadership figures met with the Turkish foreign minister, who condemned Israel and accused it of "deliberate killing."; IDF forces continued extensive counterterrorism activity in Judea and Samaria and eliminated an operative in a terrorist cell in the Jenin area; Violent clashes continued between Jewish settlers and Palestinians in Judea and Samaria. The deaths of two Palestinians were reported, including an American citizen; The Palestinian Authority welcomed announcements of several countries, including the UK and Canada, of their intention to recognize a Palestinian state, while Hamas called it "one of the fruits of October 7." The UN conference on the two-state solution concluded with a call for Hamas to relinquish control of the Gaza Strip and disarm; The American administration imposed sanctions on the PLO and the Palestinian Authority because of their appeals to the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and their continued incitement and support for terrorism.
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