The Times of Israel liveblogged Friday’s events as they unfolded.

Democratic Senate candidate Stevens accuses rival El-Sayed of blaming his problems on Jews

US Rep. Haley Stevens, a moderate Democratic Senate candidate from Michigan, accuses Abdul El-Sayed of blaming all of his problems on Jewish Americans after her progressive competition in the race again calls out the pro-Israel AIPAC lobby.

In a social media clip that went viral, El-Sayed is heard urging AIPAC to “come for me.”

“You picked [Stevens] the least capable candidate in America… If you think you can beat money out of politics, money in your pocket, medicare for all, come. I’ll tell you what people don’t want: they don’t want money in a foreign government,” he says, referring to AIPAC, which has spent heavily in the campaign against him.

“Everyone in America understands you want to blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans,” responds Stevens, who is not Jewish, in her own post.

Palestinian child injured by reported Israeli gunfire at West Bank village

A 10-year-old Palestinian child was reportedly wounded by Israeli gunfire at the central West Bank village of al-Mughayyir earlier today.

Footage of the incident shows a mother and her three young children trying to run out of the way, as shots are fired from a distance. One of the children holds their arm after apparently being hit.

It was not immediately clear if the shots were fired by settlers or soldiers.

There were no reports of any arrests, and the IDF did not immediately comment on the matter.

Bashing Netanyahu, Eisenkot suggests US-backed disarmament deal leaves Hamas in power

Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot blasts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Hamas disarmament deal announced yesterday by the US.

“Once again, Israeli citizens are learning about a fateful agreement from foreign publications, and the outrageous gap between Netanyahu’s promises and reality is further exposed,” Eisenkot tweets.

“After the heavy prices, the fallen soldiers and the wounded, he has capitulated in his political weakness without achieving the war’s objectives,” Eisenkot says of Netanyahu.

“Leaving Hamas in power in Gaza is… what led to the disaster of October 7,” he says, even though the disarmament deal is not supposed to leave Hamas in power.

“The State of Israel must not accept a reality in which Hamas survives, rearms, and waits for the opportunity to carry out the next massacre! Israeli citizens deserve leadership that wins, tells the truth and stands by its goals,” Eisenkot says, without laying out his specific issues with the US plan.

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Report: Phoned into talks by mediators, US assured Hamas that it would hold Israel to disarmament deal terms

Mediators phoned a senior US official into a recent meeting with Hamas negotiators during which the Trump official pledged to hold Israel to the terms of the disarmament deal if Hamas held its end of the agreement, Al Arabiya reports.

The US official assured the Hamas negotiators that the US will require Israel to implement all terms of the agreement, including withdrawals from Gaza, Al Arabiya says, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

Bessent says seized Iran assets will go to Iranian people

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tells reporters the United States is searching for Iranian assets “all around the world, and that money will go to the Iranian people.”

Oil price rises after Iran says it stops ships in Hormuz

Oil prices rose on Friday after Iran said it had stopped two vessels seeking to exit the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring concerns over global energy supplies following a drone attack on ships in a Mediterranean Egyptian port this week.

Iran said four other tankers turned back after its forces intervened, although the Iranian reports could not be independently confirmed.

Two large tankers carrying oil loaded from the Gulf were recorded passing through the strait, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that normally carries about one-fifth ⁠of the world’s energy shipments.

Two other commodity vessels also transited, according to shipping data from Kpler, which does not capture vessels that have been transiting the strait with their transponders off.

Iran has blocked most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the five-month-old conflict while its Houthi allies in Yemen this month began threatening the Bab el-Mandeb, the strait at the other end of the Red Sea from the Suez Canal, another export route for Saudi crude.

Oil prices rose more than 1% on Friday, with traders citing the Iranian reports, which followed a similar report earlier this week that was not corroborated. Benchmark Brent crude futures were on track to rise 23% in July, and economists and analysts polled by Reuters expect prices to rise further this year.

There were no reports of new US attacks on Iran overnight between Thursday and Friday after what was a sharp escalation in its war on Iran earlier in the week, with joint US-Saudi strikes on Iranian-allied forces in Iraq.

12% of Israelis are still undecided ahead of October election — poll

Twelve percent of Israelis have yet to decide who they will vote for in the upcoming election, according to a poll aired on Channel 12.

This amounts to roughly 600,000 voters or 15 Knesset mandates.

Trump claims Israel ‘very happy’ about Hamas disarmament deal, as Netanyahu remains mum

US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting, July 31, 2026, at Camp David, the presidential retreat, near Thurmont, Md., July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting, July 31, 2026, at Camp David, the presidential retreat, near Thurmont, Md., July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

US President Donald Trump claims Israel is “very happy” about the disarmament deal his Board of Peace inked yesterday with Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment publicly on it, though, and a pair of statements attributed to a “senior Israeli official” have asserted that Israel does not accept the proposal and will not carry out any withdrawals from Gaza as are required by the agreement.

Asked during a cabinet meeting whether the US has received any assurances from Israel that it will abide by the deal, Trump responds, “We do have an understanding with Israel.”

“Israel is very happy about it. Israel helped us, and they’ve been very good,” he says.

“Most people said that would be a deal that would be undoable. Will it go through its ups and downs? It’s a very complex situation over there… But it’s a great breakthrough. Nobody’s ever thought that be possible to disarm Hamas.”

“That shows you how much success we’re having with Iran, because five months ago, a deal like that would have been impossible,” he claims. “It’s a big step for the Middle East, and people are really impressed by it.”

Asked who Hamas will be giving its weapons to, Trump responds, “the Board of Peace.”

Technically, though, the US-backed Board of Peace disarmament proposal envisions Hamas handing over its weapons to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a new Palestinian technocratic government that is overseen by the Board of Peace.

Trump on Iran: Most people would’ve given up by now, so I credit them for being tough

US President Donald Trump, seated center, joined by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, from left, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, attends a cabinet meeting, July 31, 2026, at Camp David, the presidential retreat, near Thurmont, Md., July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
US President Donald Trump, seated center, joined by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, from left, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, attends a cabinet meeting, July 31, 2026, at Camp David, the presidential retreat, near Thurmont, Md., July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

US President Donald Trump is asked how he plans to revive last month’s memorandum of understanding with Iran, which was supposed to end their war after three and a half months.

“We just want to win,” Trump tells reporters at a cabinet meeting, offering little indication that he’s interested in a diplomatic settlement or that he has a strategy for bringing the war to an end.

“We’re trying to be as nice as you can be in a situation like that,” he says before reiterating, They cannot have a nuclear weapon. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.”

Asked if Americans should be prepared for the back-and-forth strikes between the US and Iran to continue, Trump responds, “A little bit.”

“It would be foolish to say no. You always have to keep your guard up.

Asked about the status of talks with Iran, Trump claims Tehran always is interested in talking but constantly breaks its word.

As for whether he thinks it’s still possible to reach a deal with Iran, Trump responds, “I’m losing faith in them,” claiming they fired missiles at US troops in Jordan while the sides were in the middle of negotiations.

Asked how many more strikes it will take in order to restore maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump responds, “You never know.”

“Most people would have given up by now… They haven’t, so I give them credit for that. They’re tough,” he adds.

Trump says Rubio’s initiative to bring ICC ‘to heel’ is in order to ‘defend Bibi and others’

US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting, July 31, 2026, at Camp David, the presidential retreat, near Thurmont, Md., July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting, July 31, 2026, at Camp David, the presidential retreat, near Thurmont, Md., July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Addressing a cabinet meeting at Camp David, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlights the US President Donald Trump administration’s efforts to bring the International Criminal Court to its knees.

“The International Criminal Court has made themselves illegitimate because they claim that even if you’re not a member of that court, we can come after you,” Rubio says.

“We tried to get them to reform and listen to us, they wouldn’t do it. They’re very arrogant. So we’ve now begun an effort to really try to bring them to heel,” he adds.

Trump chimes in to clarify that Rubio is not advancing the initiative to defend him since the ICC is not currently seeking to prosecute the US president.

“He’s trying to defend Bibi and various other people,” Trump adds, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Rubio goes on to tout the administration’s brokering of agreements between Israel and Lebanon as well as the disarmament deal between the Board of Peace and Hamas — “something a lot of people thought would never happen. It needs to happen, but the fact that people agree to it is a real achievement.

Trump: Iran being very dishonorable, but eventually something will happen

US President Donald Trump, seated center, joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, from left, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, attends a cabinet meeting, July 31, 2026, at Camp David, the presidential retreat, near Thurmont, Md., July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
US President Donald Trump, seated center, joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, from left, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, attends a cabinet meeting, July 31, 2026, at Camp David, the presidential retreat, near Thurmont, Md., July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Speaking in front of reporters at a cabinet meeting at Camp David, US President Donald Trump claims “Iran is doing very poorly,” rejecting mounting reports suggesting otherwise.

“They’re having a hard time. They’ve been very dishonest. They’ve been very dishonorable to deal with, but that makes no difference. They’re doing very, very poorly,” Trump claims.

He rejects the possibility that a cyber attack in Minnesota was caused by Iran, blaming “incompetence” in the state for what unfolded.

He notably makes no mention in his lengthy opening remarks about the deal his administration helped broker yesterday to disarm Hamas.

After he concludes speaking, cabinet members share remarks on what they’re working on, though, each uses the opportunity to praise Trump.

Speaking to reporters before his arrival at Camp David, Trump claimed the war “is going well.”

“All you can do is keep winning, then eventually something will happen,” he said.

WATCH: Trump kicks off cabinet meeting at Camp David

US President Donald Trump has kicked off a cabinet meeting at Camp David.

He is expected to comment on ongoing tensions with Iran as well as the disarmament deal that was inked yesterday between his Board of Peace and Hamas.

IDF says it killed Hamas commander who held Israeli hostages in Gaza City strike; was doctor at Shifa Hospital

A Hamas commander who invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, and held Israeli hostages Romi Gonen and Cpl. Noa Marciano in captivity in the Gaza Strip was killed in an airstrike yesterday, the military and Shin Bet announce.

The Thursday strike in Gaza City killed Abd al-Rahim Abd al-Hay Youssef Kardi, a deputy commander of a Hamas cell, who also served as a doctor at Shifa Hospital, according to the military.

“Kardi infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7 massacre,” the military says.

Cpl. Noa Marciano who was killed in Hamas captivity in November 2023 after being taken hostage on October 7, 2023. (Courtesy)

The IDF says that at the start of the war, Kardi was involved in holding Gonen hostage in Gaza City, including at Shifa Hospital, and he was also involved in holding the body of Marciano, a surveillance soldier, after she had been murdered in captivity, until her remains were recovered by the army. Gonen was freed after 471 days in captivity.

Romi Gonen in an undated photo after her release from captivity, uploaded to social media on February 5, 2025. (Instagram)

The military justifies the strike amid the ceasefire by saying that Kardi had been recently planning attacks on troops and Israeli civilians.

“The terrorist posed a threat to the troops and was eliminated in an aerial strike,” the army says.

UK foreign minister Miliband welcomes Hamas disarmament announcement

British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband says he welcomes the announcement of a disarmament agreement for the Palestinian terror group Hamas.

“The focus must now be on implementing the 20-point plan in full. This includes the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, and respect for the ceasefire from all parties,” he says in a statement.

Oil spill from shadow fleet tanker spreading off Oman, satellite images show

A sanctions-hit tanker is leaking oil off the coast of Oman and the spill has spread in recent days, increasing concern about possible environmental damage to coastal areas, according to an analysis of satellite imagery and shipping specialists.

The Caroline Bezengi took Russian oil on board at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk before leaving for its most recent voyage, ship tracking data shows.

It first reported difficulties on June 8 off the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla, two maritime security sources ⁠said, adding that initial assessments indicated that a blast occurred onboard.

A satellite image from July 28 shows a dark slick in the water near the vessel and lighter patches north of al-Qibliyyah island, which lies close to Oman’s coast and is part of a protected marine area.

“The darker oil slicks indicate that at least one of the hulls of the crude oil storage ship seems now to be breached, and the ship is leaking crude oil,” Wim Zwijnenburg, a remote-sensing specialist with the Dutch peace advocacy organization Pax, says after reviewing the imagery.

The area’s monsoon season, which usually peaks in July and August, can bring severe weather conditions that could rapidly spread the crude oil, Zwijnenburg adds.

EU welcomes Hamas approval of disarmament deal, says success depends on parties’ full commitment

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomes a deal that includes the provision for Palestinian terror group Hamas to disarm, but says success “depends on the full commitment of all parties.”

“A lot needs to fall in place for this to work. Success depends on the full commitment of all parties. Verifying Hamas’s compliance will be a significant challenge. Israel would need to eventually withdraw from Gaza,” Kallas writes in a post on social media platform X.

Ben Gvir says Hamas disarmament deal ‘unacceptable’

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir slams as “unacceptable” a deal agreed by Hamas that includes the group handing over its weapons and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

“After the October 7 massacre, the blood of every Hamas member is on his head, and therefore a commitment to stop the assassinations of the terrorist organization’s murderers is tantamount to agreeing to Hamas organizing for the next massacre,” Ben Gvir writes on Telegram, adding: “The assassinations in Gaza must continue, the encouragement of (Palestinian) emigration (from the Strip) must happen. Israel must win.”

One Palestinian said killed in an IDF strike in central Gaza

At least one Palestinian was killed in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza on Friday, Gaza medics say; the first death occurred hours after a disarmament deal was announced.

The IDF says it only targets terror operatives who pose threats to troops, though its strikes have routinely taken the lives of civilians with them.

IDF closes case into ruthless 2023 assault of Palestinians by settlers, soldiers without charges — report

A photo of Palestinians bound and stripped after being apprehended by IDF soldiers and settlers in the central West Bank village of Wadi al-Seeq on October 12, 2023. (Used in accordance with clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
A photo of Palestinians bound and stripped after being apprehended by IDF soldiers and settlers in the central West Bank village of Wadi al-Seeq on October 12, 2023. (Used in accordance with clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

The IDF’s Military Advocate General’s office has closed a case into a ruthless assault on three Palestinians in the West Bank that took place shortly after Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, the Haaretz daily reveals.

The MAG failed to establish enough evidence tying specific settlers and soldiers to the incident, Haaretz says.

The Palestinian victims were abused for hours on October 12, 2023, when they were beaten, stripped to their underwear, bound and photographed.

Two of them were urinated on, one had cigarettes put out on his body and another was sexually assaulted by an assailant who tried to sodomize him, according to their testimony.

While attacks against Palestinians by settlers have become a near-daily phenomenon over the past several years, the October 2023 attack was seen as one of the most brutal ones, making international headlines.

But Israel has largely failed to crack down on such attacks, with arrests rare, indictments even rarer and convictions almost unheard of.

The current government has been accused of turning a blind eye to the phenomenon or even tacitly supporting it.

The former head of the police’s West Bank division is under investigation for refusing to prosecute cases of settler violence in order to curry favor with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

With Netanyahu mum, ‘senior Israeli official’ reiterates opposition to disarmament plan approved by Hamas

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and US President Donald Trump meet in the Oval Office on July 28, 2026. (GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and US President Donald Trump meet in the Oval Office on July 28, 2026. (GPO)

Another statement has been issued to Israeli reporters by a “senior Israeli official” indicating Jerusalem’s opposition to the Trump-feted disarmament proposal that Hamas approved on Thursday.

“In response to various publications this morning about political progress in the Gaza Strip, Israel has reiterated that there will be no IDF withdrawal from the current Yellow Line without the genuine disarmament of Hamas,” the senior Israeli official says.

The “senior official” had issued a statement on Thursday that more explicitly rejected the Board of Peace’s disarmament proposal, asserting that it didn’t meet Israel’s demands for Hamas’s full disarmament, which the official said was a precondition for IDF withdrawal.

The official did not elaborate on Israel’s specific issues with the Board of Peace’s proposal for the gradual decommissioning of all of Hamas’s weapons.

The latest statement specifies that Israel won’t even withdraw from the current Yellow Line, let alone from the original one from the October 2025 ceasefire deal.

Israel expanded its control of Gaza from 53 percent to over 60%, in a violation of the ceasefire that the Board of Peace has apparently let slide as it sought to coax Hamas into accepting its disarmament proposal.

Now that Hamas has approved that offer, Israel is expected to pull its forces back to the original Yellow Line that roughly divided the Strip into eastern and western halves.

A Board of Peace official indicated that this withdrawal would have to take place in the coming days, in what will be one of the first tests of the agreement. Hamas has warned that it won’t proceed with the weapons handover if Israel doesn’t withdraw to the original Yellow Line.

But the statement from the anonymous Israeli official indicates that Jerusalem does not intend to comply.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment publicly on Hamas’s acceptance of the disarmament proposal, which has been celebrated by the US.

A senior US official warned on Thursday that US President Donald Trump will be “very disappointed” if Israel blocks the advancement of Washington’s Gaza plan.

Hamas says first step in implementing disarmament deal is Israel’s commitment to stop killing Palestinians

Hamas says the first step in implementing the phased disarmament agreement in ​Gaza announced by US President Donald Trump is a commitment from Israel to stop killing Palestinians and end attacks.

IDF: Two Hamas operatives killed in ‘precise aerial strikes’ on Wednesday

Two Hamas operatives who were advancing attacks on troops were killed in strikes in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the military says.

The IDF says the strikes killed Muhammad al-Abed, a supply officer, and Ahmad Ma’in Muhammad Anqar, a commander in the terror group.

Abed had been involved in “smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip and digging smuggling tunnels while supplying weapons to the military wings,” during the war, according to the IDF.

The IDF justifies the strike amid the ceasefire by saying that recently, both operatives had been advancing attacks.

“The terrorists posed a threat to IDF troops and were eliminated in precise aerial strikes,” the military adds.

Death toll in migrant crisis in Spain’s Ceuta rises to at least 34

Migrants try to cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, July 30, 2026. (AP/Antonio Sempere)
Migrants try to cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, July 30, 2026. (AP/Antonio Sempere)

At least 34 people have died trying to cross from Morocco into Spain’s Ceuta enclave during a massive surge this week in illegal migration, local regional President Juan Jesus Vivas tells reporters.

Vivas says around 60,000 people have crossed into Ceuta during the influx, many by swimming around a border barrier stretching into the water. He does not give details about how the victims died.

Commander who kidnapped Avinatan Or and Noa Argamani killed in Israeli strike, says IDF

Noa Argamani is seen being kidnapped by Hamas terrorists during the massacre at the Supernova desert rave in the south on October 7, 2023. (Screenshot used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)
Noa Argamani is seen being kidnapped by Hamas terrorists during the massacre at the Supernova desert rave in the south on October 7, 2023. (Screenshot used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)

A top commander in the Mujahideen Brigades terror group, who took part in abducting Avinatan Or and Noa Argamani, and directed the abduction of Sudthisak Rinthalak during the October 7, 2023, onslaught, was killed in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip this week, the IDF announces.

The military says the strike Tuesday in southern Gaza killed Ahmed Hussein Mohammed Kafina, commander of the central Gaza area in Mujahideen Brigades, a relatively small Hamas-allied terror group in the Strip.

“Kafina planned and directed the group’s terrorists’ raid into the territory of the State of Israel during the October 7 massacre, and took part in the abduction of Avinatan Or and Noa Argamani, and in directing the abduction of Sudthisak Rinthalak,” the military says.

The IDF justifies the strike amid the ceasefire by saying that Kafina had planned attacks on troops and Israeli civilians. “The terrorist posed an immediate threat to the troops and was eliminated in a precise aerial strike,” the military adds.

Rinthalak was killed in the onslaught and his body taken and later returned by Hamas, while Argamani was rescued by the IDF in 2024 and Or was released from Gaza last year.

Kuwait says it shot down Iranian drones that entered its airspace

Kuwait’s army destroyed drones that entered its airspace this morning, the armed forces says on X, adding that there was material damage due to falling debris but no casualties.

The army says “Iranian aggression” had targeted a number of vital and military installations.

Trump to convene cabinet meeting at Camp David today amid Iran tensions

US President Donald Trump looks on during an event about the Freedom Haulers program at the White House in Washington, DC, July 30, 2026. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI/AFP)
US President Donald Trump looks on during an event about the Freedom Haulers program at the White House in Washington, DC, July 30, 2026. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI/AFP)

US President Donald Trump convenes a cabinet meeting today at his Camp David retreat as he grapples with how to resolve his war against Iran and bring down gasoline prices that are threatening Republicans in November midterm elections.

Unlike some past presidents, Trump has largely stayed away from the mountaintop presidential redoubt in western Maryland, preferring to spend time at his golf resorts when not at the White House. This will be his third trip to Camp David in his second term.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a briefing last week that this would be the 13th cabinet meeting of Trump’s second term and that it would be “a lot of fun and something different for the cabinet to experience together.”

The agenda for the meeting will likely focus heavily on foreign policy. Trump is engaged in tit-for-tat strikes against Iranian targets with no end in sight to a conflict that the president initially projected would last just a few weeks but is now five months old.

Trump’s cabinet meetings tend to run long — well over an hour — as each cabinet secretary offers an update on activities in their departments, mixed with plenty of praise for the president.

After the meeting, Trump is scheduled to go to his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club for the weekend.

Netanyahu, Trump reportedly weighed imposing ‘land blockade’ against Iran

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and US President Donald Trump meet in the Oval Office on July 28, 2026. (GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and US President Donald Trump meet in the Oval Office on July 28, 2026. (GPO)

The British Telegraph newspaper reports that US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of imposing a land blockade on Iran during their meeting this week in the White House.

According to the report, the pair discussed pressuring Iran “through kinetic and non-kinetic means” amid a standoff following months of fighting.

“What if you just blocked the land? Suppose Iran can’t bring anything in and cannot take anything out. Anything will happen,” a senior Israeli official is quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

The newspaper suggests that such an effort could target a number of key crossings into Iran, although considering the country’s size and its number of neighbors, would be largely impossible to fully enforce.

14 Givati soldiers dismissed from combat duty, given 30-day sentence over desertion

IDF soldiers seen leaving the Sde Teiman military base near Beersheba, southern Israel, July 30, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
IDF soldiers seen leaving the Sde Teiman military base near Beersheba, southern Israel, July 30, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)

The IDF says 14 soldiers of the Givati Brigade’s Tzabar Battalion, who led yesterday’s mass desertion of an army base in southern Israel, were sentenced to 30 days in military jail.

The commander of the Givati Brigade, Col. Netanel Shamaka also permanently dismissed those soldiers from combat duty, the military says.

Another 80 or so troops who left the base without permission and later returned, will be required to stay on base this weekend, during which they will undergo “a command and educational process to strengthen the discipline, values and norms expected of IDF soldiers.”

In addition, two more troops who returned to the base overnight will be sentenced later, and one soldier has yet to show up to be sentenced, the army adds.

Iran claims to strike two tankers under US ‘air escort’ trying to pass Hormuz

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards says that it struck two tankers attempting to pass though the strategic Strait of Hormuz under the “air escort” of the US military.

The IRGC claims the “non-compliant oil tankers… were struck and brought to a halt, while four other oil tankers quickly changed course and returned to their previous positions.”

Several reported wounded in Israeli airstrike in Gaza

Several Palestinians are wounded in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza hours after US President Donald Trump announced a deal on Hamas disarmament, Gaza medics say.

There is no immediate comment from the IDF on the purported strike.

Yesh Atid MK reportedly set to run with Mansour Abbas’s Ra’am party

Yesh Atid MK Yoav Segalovitz attends a Constitution, Law and Justice Committee meeting in the Knesset, July 13, 2023. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Yesh Atid MK Yoav Segalovitz attends a Constitution, Law and Justice Committee meeting in the Knesset, July 13, 2023. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Yesh Atid MK Yoav Segalovitz is reportedly planning to run in the upcoming election on the electoral slate of Mansour Abbas’s Ra’am party.

The Ynet news site reports that Segalovitz — a former senior police official — is currently on vacation in Thailand and upon his return next week will meet with Abbas to sign a deal for him to join the party.

Yesh Atid is slated to run together with Naftali Bennett in a “Together” slate in the October 27 national election.

Settlers clash with Palestinians near Tell, a week after deadly gunfight; Palestinian said shot

Israeli settlers march through the Palestinian village of Sarra, near the West Bank city of Nablus, July 31, 2026. (AP/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers march through the Palestinian village of Sarra, near the West Bank city of Nablus, July 31, 2026. (AP/Leo Correa)

Israeli settlers entered the outskirts of Nablus this morning, a week after a deadly gunfight took place in the nearby village of Tell, and again clashed with Palestinians, according to the IDF.

The military says Palestinians hurled stones at the Israeli civilians, and one of the Israelis opened fire in the air.

The IDF says it also received a report of several Israelis who “vandalized a cemetery” in the Nablus area.

The settlers also passed through the outskirts of Tell during their hike.

The hike, through areas A and B of the West Bank — normally off limits to Israeli civilians — was not approved by the army, but the military says troops “had been deployed in advance in the area ahead of the Israelis’ arrival, were dispatched to disperse the gathering and worked to remove the civilians from the area.”

All of the Israelis eventually left the Nablus area, according to the army.

The IDF says that later, Palestinians hurled stones at troops in the area, and the soldiers opened fire at a “main instigator.”

Palestinian media reports that one person was shot in the village of Juneid, near Nablus and Tell.

“The IDF emphasizes that entry into Area A is prohibited and dangerous for Israelis, and constitutes a violation of the law,” the army adds.

At least 18 dead after close to 50,000 Moroccan migrants stream into Spanish city

People gather at Bab Sebta, on the Morocco-Spain border near Spain’s enclave of Ceuta and the Moroccan town of Fnideq, on July 30, 2026. (Abdelmajid BZIOUAT/AFP)
People gather at Bab Sebta, on the Morocco-Spain border near Spain’s enclave of Ceuta and the Moroccan town of Fnideq, on July 30, 2026. (Abdelmajid BZIOUAT/AFP)

Spain’s Interior Ministry says that, according to its estimates, some 49,000 migrants have crossed into the enclave of Ceuta in North Africa over the past 24 hours, as they rush by sea and land from Morocco.

“There was a steady stream of people all night long,” and while arrivals were lower than during the day, migrants “continued to arrive overnight and are still arriving” this morning, a police source says.

A total of 18 people died while attempting to reach the Spanish enclave, the source adds.

Spain sent military and police reinforcements to Ceuta yesterday after the surge.

Ceuta, along with ‌Melilla, another Spanish autonomous city in northern Morocco, represent the European Union’s only land border with Africa. Both cities periodically experience surges in attempted crossings by migrants seeking to reach ​Europe.

Singapore police probe Palestinian flag at Massive Attack concert

British band Massive Attack performs on stage during the 20th edition of the Rock en Seine festival in Saint-Cloud, outside Paris, on August 24, 2024. (Anna KURTH / AFP)
British band Massive Attack performs on stage during the 20th edition of the Rock en Seine festival in Saint-Cloud, outside Paris, on August 24, 2024. (Anna KURTH / AFP)

Singapore has launched an investigation after British trip-hop band Massive Attack displayed a Palestinian flag during a concert there, police say.

The city-state bans the public display of all foreign flags, national emblems or banners without a permit.

A video circulating online showed two band members on stage raising a Palestinian flag to loud, prolonged cheers from the audience.

The concert was held on Wednesday, according to local media.

Broadcaster CNA quotes one concertgoer as saying the band members shouted “free Palestine” during their performance and that many in the audience joined the chant.

The Singapore Police Force says in a statement to AFP that “reports were lodged and investigations are ongoing,” adding that the government’s media regulator is “also investigating a possible breach of license conditions.”

The unpermitted display of a foreign flag is punishable with a fine of up to 500 Singapore dollars ($389), a maximum prison term of six months, or both.

The band is known for its anti-Israel activity, including its support of Palestine Action, an activist group banned by British authorities.

China says no citizens hurt in Iranian attack on Chinese building in Kuwait

China’s foreign ministry says that an Iranian attack that hit a building belonging to a Chinese company in Kuwait did not affect Chinese citizens.

China has urged Kuwait to take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese nationals and institutions, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the ministry, says at a press briefing.

London man arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of spying on a UK military base for Iran

A transport aircraft prepares for landing at UK's RAF Akrotiri air base near Limassol, Cyprus, March, 3, 2026. (AP/Petros Karadjias)
A transport aircraft prepares for landing at UK's RAF Akrotiri air base near Limassol, Cyprus, March, 3, 2026. (AP/Petros Karadjias)

A London man has been arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of spying on a UK air force base on the Mediterranean island on behalf of Iran, British police say.

London’s Metropolitan Police force says 44-year-old Rashad Sultanov, a UK-Azerbaijani national, is alleged to have conducted “hostile surveillance” of RAF Akrotiri and shared information with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

He was arrested on July 17, and British police are seeking his extradition.

Police say Sultanov lives in London, and British media said he works as a taxi driver.

Akrotiri is the UK’s main air base for operations in the Middle East and in recent years has been used by British warplanes on missions against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq and to strike Houthi targets in Yemen. It was struck by an Iranian-made drone in March, early in the US-Israel war with Iran.

British prosecutors have authorized charges under the National Security Act. The arrest followed an investigation led by counterterror detectives into incidents at RAF Akrotiri in May and June 2025.

“This case shows we are able to use the National Security Act overseas when British military bases are allegedly targeted by hostile state activity,” says Commander Helen Flanagan of London’s counterterror policing unit.

Saudis reportedly gearing up for intensive attack on Houthis

This screen grab taken from video footage released by the Houthi rebels’ Al-Masirah TV channel and made available via AFPTV on July 13, 2026, shows airstrikes blamed on Saudi Arabia hitting Sanaa International Airport. (Al-Masirah/AFP)
This screen grab taken from video footage released by the Houthi rebels’ Al-Masirah TV channel and made available via AFPTV on July 13, 2026, shows airstrikes blamed on Saudi Arabia hitting Sanaa International Airport. (Al-Masirah/AFP)

Saudi Arabia is reportedly gearing up for intensive strikes on the Yemeni Houthi rebel group, amid growing violence between them.

According to a report in the Guardian citing Yemeni sources, Saudi forces are preparing for a potential both naval and ground operation.

The newspaper also cites reports that Saudi troops have been withdrawing from the east of Yemen in a possible preparation for an escalatory attack.

The Houthis said on July 20 they would impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, and have since claimed a series of attacks on Saudi-linked shipping. Saudi Arabia has responded with air strikes on what it said were Houthi military facilities in Yemen’s Hodeidah used to threaten commercial shipping.

Iran receives bodies of Guards killed in US-Saudi strikes in Iraq

Damaged structures at the site of an airstrike on a Popular Mobilization Forces base in Mosul, Iraq, July 29, 2026. (AP/Farid Abdulwahed)
Damaged structures at the site of an airstrike on a Popular Mobilization Forces base in Mosul, Iraq, July 29, 2026. (AP/Farid Abdulwahed)

Iranian state media says that the bodies of five members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed in joint US-Saudi strikes in Iraq this week had been returned.

“The bodies of five IRGC members killed in the recent US-Saudi attacks on Iraq were brought into the country through the Mehran border crossing,” in western Ilam province, the IRNA state news agency reports.

The United States and Saudi Arabia said Wednesday they had struck Iran-backed militants in Iraq in response to recent attacks on the Gulf kingdom.

The strikes targeted positions belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi armed coalition that includes several powerful pro-Iran groups, killing at least 20 militants, including the five Iranians.

IDF promises improvement after female paramedic allowed into Haredi brigade’s base

President Isaac Herzog visits a military base on Tisha B'av and meets with members of the Hasmonean Brigade, July 22, 2026. (Alex Kolomoisky/President's Office)
President Isaac Herzog visits a military base on Tisha B'av and meets with members of the Hasmonean Brigade, July 22, 2026. (Alex Kolomoisky/President's Office)

The IDF says it will do better next time after a woman was allowed into the strictly all-male army base for the Hasmonean Brigade, a unit for ultra-Orthodox soldiers.

The Yisrael Hayom daily reports that during a visit by President Isaac Herzog to the Haredi brigade’s training base in the Jordan Valley for Tisha B’av last week, a female volunteer medic with Magen David Adom joined the president.

In response to the report, the IDF says that “for the president’s visit to the Hasmonean Brigade, an MDA ambulance was brought in accordance with standard medical preparations. As part of these arrangements, a female paramedic was assigned to provide medical care if necessary.”

“In cases involving female professionals whose participation is essential, the manner of their participation is arranged in advance, with an emphasis on avoiding direct contact with the brigade’s soldiers,” the military says.

In line with the unit’s protocols on not allowing the soldiers to interact with women, the army says that “the female paramedic remained in a designated area and did not meet with the base’s soldiers during the visit.”

“In the future, this matter will be arranged in advance when necessary,” the army adds.

Settlers hike through outskirts of West Bank’s Tell, a week after deadly gunfight in village

Settler activists take part in an unauthorized 'hike' near the West Bank village of Tell, July 31, 2026. (Screenshot/X used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)
Settler activists take part in an unauthorized 'hike' near the West Bank village of Tell, July 31, 2026. (Screenshot/X used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)

A week after the deadly gunfight in the West Bank village of Tell, Israeli settlers this morning again conducted a hike through the outskirts of the Palestinian village.

Tell is located in areas A and B of the West Bank, normally off-limits for Israelis.

Footage shows settlers walking through the outskirts of the village.

There are no reports of clashes during this morning’s hike.

It is unclear if the hike was approved by the army, and the IDF has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The Times of Israel has learned that the settlers are planning two “memorial hikes” today in the area around the village in memory of Benayahu Mellet, a resident of the Havat Gilad settlement who was killed in last week’s incident.

Iran says it targeted a US military base in Kuwait with drones

Iran’s military says it launched drone strikes targeting US military facilities in Kuwait.

The army says in a statement it targeted “fighter aircraft shelters, satellite communications systems and equipment storage facilities at Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait.”

There was no immediate comment from the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

The Iranian army says the strikes came “in response to the recent aggression by the terrorist US military against our country and its brutal attack on a residential home on Qeshm Island.”

Footage appears to contradict IDF claim Palestinian accelerated toward troops before they opened fire

Footage published by Palestinian media from an overnight shooting incident in the village of Beita, near Nablus, appears to show a vehicle driving along a village street.

The car comes to a sudden stop several meters from IDF soldiers, though it is unclear from the footage at what point the soldiers opened fire.

The soldiers are then seen standing near the vehicle for several seconds without approaching the driver, who was wounded in the incident.

Footage published by Palestinian media appears to show a single bullet hole in the vehicle’s windshield, on the driver’s side.

The IDF said overnight that “during an operational activity, a terrorist accelerated his vehicle toward IDF forces and ignored calls to stop. The troops carried out the suspect arrest procedure, which included opening fire at the terrorist, who was neutralized.”

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that the driver, 59, was shot in the neck and evacuated to a hospital.

Hamas official: Weapons storage contingent on Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, dismantling of Israel-backed militias

Palestinian gunmen from Hamas and Islamic Jihad gather next to Eid al-Fitr prayers in Gaza City, March 20, 2026. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)
Palestinian gunmen from Hamas and Islamic Jihad gather next to Eid al-Fitr prayers in Gaza City, March 20, 2026. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)

Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad tells Al Jazeera — following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that an agreement had been reached on the second phase of the ceasefire — that the storage of Hamas’s weapons is contingent on a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the dismantling of militias backed by Israel.

Hamad says in the interview: “We will not take a single step unless we are certain that Israel will also carry out its commitments.”

He adds that the weapons would be placed in storage only after the commitments of the first phase of the ceasefire are fulfilled — apparently referring to the entry of humanitarian aid — and after the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza enters the Strip.

An official from Trump’s Board of Peace said the only withdrawal Israel has to make in the first stage is to the original Yellow Line demarcated in Gaza, and that future withdrawals would happen only after each are of Gaza is demilitarized.

US official says PA must show it ‘can run West Bank’ before getting a chance to control Gaza

Asked about the role of the Palestinian Authority in the postwar management of Gaza, a senior US official briefing reporters says the PA should focus on carrying out reforms in the West Bank so that it can one day maybe be ready to govern the Strip.

The US official acknowledges the liaison office that was set up to coordinate between the Board of Peace and the PA.

“But at the end of the day, they have to focus on reforms. They have to show that they can run the West Bank and then obviously we can consider them coming into Gaza,” he says.

“The PA has not been effective in the West Bank, and Hamas has been much worse in Gaza, so we’re going to try something new,” the senior US official adds, making no mention of the long list of punitive actions taken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that have brought the PA to the brink of collapse and have significantly hobbled its ability to carry out reforms even if it wants to.

Pouring further salt in the wound, the US official confirms that one of PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s top rivals, ousted Gaza security chief Mohammed Dahlan, has been among the people that Washington has consulted about the postwar management of the Strip.

An Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel on Thursday that US President Donald Trump’s top aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner has been in constant contact with Dahlan over the past year regarding Gaza.

“Mohammed Dahlan is one of the people we speak to. He gives us a lot of good knowledge about Gaza and the situation,” the US official says.

Adopting a softer tone toward the PA, the senior Board of Peace official on the call stresses that there is full transparency with the PA.

The official also notes that the NCAG is only meant to be a transitional authority in Gaza and that if the disarmament proposal is upheld, it will “reignite the prospect for a political horizon for the Palestinian people, which comes when the PA is reformed and it’s able to take over.”

Iran unsuccessfully tried to convince Hamas not to accept disarmament offer — US official

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, right, meets with chairman of Hamas's Shura Council Muhammad Ismail Darwish, left, July 4, 2026. (Telegram channel of the Iranian Foreign Minister)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, right, meets with chairman of Hamas's Shura Council Muhammad Ismail Darwish, left, July 4, 2026. (Telegram channel of the Iranian Foreign Minister)

Iran tried to convince Hamas not to accept the Board of Peace’s disarmament proposal, but ultimately failed in that effort, a senior US official tells reporters during a briefing call.

“Iran would have liked Hamas not to do the deal but… Iran abandoned Hamas a while ago. They can’t afford to to keep them going, and I think the Hamas guys realize that they have to do what’s best for for themselves and and for the people,” the US official says, adding that the disarmament proposal’s offer of amnesty to Hamas members who agree to give up their weapons and adhere to Trump’s 20-point plan was a key selling point for the terror group.

“Iran did try to convince them not to do this deal, but ultimately we were able to overcome that,” the US official adds, confirming a report from the Axios news site, which said that officials from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had urged a Hamas delegation attending the funeral of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei not to rush into accepting the Board of Peace proposal.

Disarmament to begin with Hamas police before heavy weapons handed over, tunnels dismantled — official

Inside a Hamas tunnel located by the IDF in northern Gaza's Beit Hanoun, in footage published by the military on February 19, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
Inside a Hamas tunnel located by the IDF in northern Gaza's Beit Hanoun, in footage published by the military on February 19, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

The Board of Peace disarmament proposal approved by Hamas will see the terror group first hand over the weapons held by its police force to the NCAG, an official on the panel tells reporters in a briefing call.

That will be followed by the decommissioning of heavy weapons, arms depots and tunnels that exist in Gaza.

Personal weapons left in Gaza will be handed over last, in line with existing Palestinian Authority law, which allows for individuals to carry a gun under strict conditions if properly registered.

IDF-backed militias and armed clans in Gaza will also be required to hand over their weapons as part of this process, the Board of Peace official says.

While weapons will be handed over to the NCAG, the ISF will help facilitate the decommissioning, and its leadership has already been studying ways to ensure the handover can proceed safely.

The framework will be advanced gradually throughout the Strip and be linked strictly to IDF withdrawals — both of which will be monitored by the International Verification Committee.

The process will be based on the principle of “one authority, one law and one weapon principle…. so that we don’t end up in a situation where you have NCAG control during the day and militants coming out during the night to disrupt this process,” the Board of Peace official says.

A “Social Peace Agreement” will also be signed by all factions in Gaza in order to prevent a scenario where one group turns on another once weapons have been turned over, the official said.

Little information is provided during the briefing call regarding the reconstruction of Gaza, beyond that it will be supervised by the Board of Peace and the NCAG “in accordance with international standards,” the Board of Peace official says.

A different Board of Peace official tells The Times of Israel that reconstruction will move ahead in areas that have been decommissioned, with the first pilot housing project set to begin on the ruins of the southern Gaza city of Rafah at the beginning of 2027.

The Board of Peace secured $16 billion in pledges from mainly Gulf countries, which it has refrained from collecting until Hamas accepted its disarmament proposal, the US official says.

Israeli-Cypriot real estate developer and Board of Peace Executive Gaza Executive Board member Yakir Gabay has been negotiating with unnamed contractors and has succeeded in bringing costs down for reconstruction projects, the US official adds.

Board of Peace official: ISF, new Palestinian force to enter Gaza alongside governance committee

Gradually entering the Strip along with the NCAG will be the International Stabilization Force and a new Palestinian police force for Gaza, a Board of Peace official says during a briefing with reporters.

A US official official on the call says the Board of Peace has secured commitments for 5,000 troops from various countries. However, only a handful of representatives from Morocco, Kosovo, Albania, Kazakhstan have actually made it to Israel for eventual deployment.

The Board of Peace official says the four contributing countries will also be talking to other nations about joining the ISF.

The ISF will be tasked with supporting the training of the new Gaza police force, supporting the decommissioning of weapons and positioning itself between Israeli forces and Palestinians, as the IDF gradually withdraws from the Strip, the official explains.

The US official says training for the police force has already begun, though the vast majority of the 5,000 vetted recruits have yet to leave Gaza amid Israeli foot-dragging.

The Board of Peace official indicates that some current Hamas’s policemen will be able to serve on the new Gaza force, while others will be assigned other jobs that are not related to security.

“We don’t want people to lose their livelihood. However, we want to be very clear that as the NCAG comes in… it actually has the freedom to operate and work effectively,” the official says.

The NCAG and the new police force will be responsible for dealing with all internal security incidents, maintaining public order and enforcing the law in the Strip, the official adds.

Hamas’s approval of disarmament plan triggered 14-day period to finalize implementation timeline — officials

Hamas’s approval Thursday of the Board of Peace’s disarmament roadmap has triggered a 14-day period in which the sides will finalize the timeline for implementing each step of the proposal, a Board of Peace official tells The Times of Israel.

The potential timelines on the table for the full disarmament process range from roughly 200 to 350 days, another Board of Peace official says during a briefing with reporters.

Once that timeline is locked in, the Board of Peace will begin holding Israel to its commitments from the October 2025 Gaza ceasefire, the second Board of Peace official says.

Israel was supposed to cease striking Gaza and meet a series of benchmarks pertaining to the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip that it has largely ignored.

The Board of Peace largely refrained from holding Israel to those commitments, as Hamas dragged its feet in agreeing to the US-led panel’s disarmament proposal.

Now that Hamas has consented to the roadmap, Israel will be expected to withdraw to the original Yellow Line that was established in the October 2025 ceasefire. That demarcation kept Israel in control of roughly 53 percent of Gaza, but Israel has since violated that clause by pushing to occupy as much as 70% of the Strip.

Israel won’t be required to withdraw beyond the original Yellow Line until Hamas begins handing over its weapons, the first Board of Peace official tells The Times of Israel, adding that the IDF will only be allowed to respond to what are deemed as imminent threats.

Hamas and all other armed Palestinian factions will also be required to cease all military activity after the initial 14-day period is complete and the timelines for the entire roadmap are set, the second Board of Peace official says.

An Implementation Verification Committee (IVC) will be established to independently confirm that both sides are adhering to their commitments from the October 2025 ceasefire.

The roadmap will not advance to a subsequent phase of decommissioning, withdrawal or reconstruction until the completion of the phase before it has been confirmed by the IVC.

Once it is verified that the sides are adhering to the terms of the October 2025 ceasefire, the Board of Peace’s disarmament proposal envisions the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) — the panel of Palestinian technocrats tasked with replacing Hamas in governing the Strip — will gradually begin entering the enclave, the Board of Peace official says.

The NCAG will seek to maintain a continuity of services for the people of Gaza, even as it hires new civil workers, or fires or reassigns those who have been working for Hamas.

While both Board of Peace officials noted the 14-day initial timeline, they — along with a senior US official on the briefing call — appeared to leave the door open to the possibility that the process could be dragged out, just as it has until this point.

“Don’t get stuck on the dates and the number of days because the timelines really depend on how each phase is implemented,” says the second Board of Peace official.

“I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on timing,” the US official adds. “Hopefully both sides will cooperate… and if they don’t, we’ll deal with it accordingly, as we have in the last few months.”

Board of Peace: Hamas agreed to ‘actionable plan for relinquishing all its weapons, followed by Israeli withdrawal from Gaza’

The Board of Peace confirms that Hamas has agreed to a roadmap for decommissioning its weapons in order to advance the ceasefire inked in Gaza last year.

“For the first time, Hamas officially has committed to an actionable plan for relinquishing all its weapons, which will be followed by Israeli withdrawal from Gaza,” the US-controlled Board of Peace says in a statement.

“It holds the promise of delivering significant benefits to the people of Gaza, who have waited for too long for a better future, and security to the people of Israel,” the panel says.

“Our focus now turns to implementation. The Board of Peace has worked closely with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). It will soon begin a phased transition toward full authority, backed by the International Stabilization Force (ISF), and will accelerate implementation of the rule of law, security, and humanitarian improvement in Gaza.”

“Ahead of us is a Gaza rebuilt, governed by Palestinians and at peace with Israel an a political horizon to a meaningful resolution the Israeli Palestinian conflict,” adds the Board of Peace’s High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov in a statement of his own.

Trump will be ‘very disappointed’ if Israel blocks advancement of his Gaza plan — US official

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and US President Donald Trump meet in the Oval Office on July 28, 2026. (GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and US President Donald Trump meet in the Oval Office on July 28, 2026. (GPO)

A senior US official says President Donald Trump will be “very disappointed” if Israel doesn’t allow for the advancement of his 20-point plan for the reconstruction of Gaza.

The senior official makes the comments in a briefing with reporters about Hamas’s approval of the US-controlled Board of Peace’s disarmament plan.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said earlier Thursday that the proposal did not meet Israeli demands, indicating that Jerusalem would not allow it to advance.

“We’re not asking Israel to do anything that isn’t in the 20-point plan that they agreed to initially, and so we’re very confident they will adhere to it. If they don’t, President Trump would be very, very disappointed,” the senior US official warns.

“We just need them to to keep to the original agreement that got their hostages home and ended the war. Gaza was the biggest thorn in their side for many years,” the official continues. “With all of the different issues they have going on right now, this is not something they want to escalate as an issue right now.”

“We believe that they’ll continue to be a good partner in this and and comply,” the US official adds.

“Israel didn’t believe we’d get the the deal done to get the hostages out. They didn’t believe we’d get the bodies out. They’re very skeptical that Hamas will disarm… But Hamas did make a deal… and Hamas did come through by getting the bodies out and the hostages, so our intention is to hold Israel to its commitments as well and make sure we can be a fair broker.”

The US official also calls out Israel for objecting to including Qatar and Turkey in the Board of Peace.

“There was a lot of criticism, particularly in Israel, when we invited Turkey and Qatar to join the Board of Peace Gaza Executive Board, but they’ve been essential partners along with Egypt in helping keep this ceasefire together,” he says.

“Israel has its own craziness with their politics, and Palestinian aspirations are important. But we’re trying to put that to the side and constantly push forward,” the senior US official adds.

Hamas officials say Gaza technocrats to oversee ‘cataloging and storage of weapons’

Armed Hamas police officers patrol in Gaza City, October 11, 2025. (Ali Hassan/Flash90)
Armed Hamas police officers patrol in Gaza City, October 11, 2025. (Ali Hassan/Flash90)

Senior Hamas officials say they have reached a deal to end the conflict with Israel, after US President Donald Trump announced that the terrorist group was prepared to disarm.

Two officials from Hamas, speaking on condition of anonymity, tell AFP that they’ve come to an agreement, which they say includes provisions addressing its arsenal and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

“An agreement has been reached regarding the issue of weapons… Furthermore, an agreement has been reached on a gradual withdrawal of (Israeli forces)” from the strip, a Hamas official says, adding that the Islamist terrorist movement now expects the mediators and the Board of Peace to ensure that Israel complies with the terms of the deal.

One of the senior officials says the Palestinian technocratic committee established by the Board of Peace to govern Gaza will oversee the process of storing Hamas’s weapons under the agreement.

“The National Committee for Administration of Gaza (NCAG) shall manage and execute the cataloging and storage of weapons in accordance with the agreed timetable,” the official says.

“The National Committee will be the sole entity authorized to retain, store, or control weapons in Gaza.”

Trump says Board of Peace reached deal on ‘complete disarmament’ of Hamas

US President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce the Freedom Haulers initiative at the White House, July 30, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
US President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce the Freedom Haulers initiative at the White House, July 30, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

US President Donald Trump announces that his Board of Peace has reached an agreement on the “complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza.”

The agreement was inked earlier Thursday between negotiators from Hamas, the Board of Peace and Mideast mediating countries Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, a source familiar with the matter tells The Times of Israel.

However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office subsequently issued a statement saying that the Board of Peace’s 15-point disarmament proposal did not meet Israeli demands for Gaza’s complete demilitarization. Accordingly, it’s unclear how the agreement will be able to proceed.

“This agreement is a critical step toward Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people. At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks,” Trump writes on Truth Social.

“This is a major milestone in the implementation of the Trump 20-Point Plan. The agreement will be carried out in carefully structured phases. As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors,” he continues.

“One year ago there was a violent raging war, humanitarian crisis and hostages kept in brutal captivity. We have made historic progress and there is still much work to do,” Trump adds.

“I want to thank the mediators—Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye—for their important efforts, and especially my outstanding team, whose tireless work made this historic breakthrough possible,” Trump says.

“The threat that emerged from Gaza on October 7 will NOT be allowed to rebuild!” he continues. “Under this agreement, Gaza will finally be in the hands of a new Palestinian government that serves its people.”

Off-duty soldiers, Border Police attacked in Jerusalem by dozens of Haredi males

Video from Jerusalem shows dozens of ultra-Orthodox males accosting several off-duty soldiers walking through the capital.

The Haredi demonstrators can be seen following after the soldiers, who Hebrew media outlets identify as members of the predominately ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yehuda battalion, as they yell and throw objects at them.

Footage also shows the protesters throwing objects at Border Police officers dispatched to the scene, while calling them “Nazis.”

There are no immediate reports of injuries or arrests.

The Ynet news site reports that the group of Haredim were attending a rally in support of those arrested for taking part in an attack on the home of Deputy Supreme Court Chief Justice Noam Sohlberg to protest the arrest of ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers.

IDF has destroyed Hezbollah tunnel system below south Lebanon’s Beaufort, Netanyahu and Katz announce

An IDF soldier is seen in a Hezbollah tunnel near the Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, July 7, 2026. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)
An IDF soldier is seen in a Hezbollah tunnel near the Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, July 7, 2026. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)

The Israeli military has blown up Hezbollah’s tunnel system beneath the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announce in a joint statement.

They say that the IDF used 700 tons of explosives to demolish the subterranean facility.

The demolition was planned for an earlier date but was postponed because of the ceasefire. Netanyahu and Katz say the destruction of the tunnel system at this time comes in response to Hezbollah’s “blatant” violation of the ceasefire agreement yesterday, by targeting an unmanned bulldozer with an explosive drone.

The tunnel, which journalists toured earlier this month, served as a “central part of the Hezbollah terror organization’s invasion plan against the Galilee communities,” the statement says.

“The State of Israel will not accept any violation of the ceasefire agreement. Any attempt by Hezbollah to harm IDF troops or Israeli civilians will be met with a severe and powerful response that will exact a heavy price from the terrorist organization,”. Netanyahu and Katz say, adding that the IDF “will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon and will continue to destroy all terror infrastructure in order to prevent any attempt by Hezbollah to restore its capabilities.”

The IDF in its own statement says it demolished “several key underground routes in the Beaufort Ridge area.”

“Over the past several weeks, IDF troops completed securing the Beaufort Ridge area, while taking control of and clearing the underground infrastructure and preparing it for destruction,” the military says.

The military had already on July 13 demolished a tunnel that was part of the Beaufort Ridge area underground system. With the latest demolition, most of the tunnel network in the area has been destroyed.

The IDF is also still monitoring a major Hezbollah tunnel system beneath the Ali Taher ridge, where dozens of operatives are still believed to be holed up.

‘This will be your grave’: Ex-hostage Evyatar David recounts harrowing video one year later

Hamas-held hostage Evyatar David filmed digging what he says he fears will be his own grave in a tunnel in Gaza, in a Hamas propaganda video that his family cleared for publication on August 2, 2025.
Hamas-held hostage Evyatar David filmed digging what he says he fears will be his own grave in a tunnel in Gaza, in a Hamas propaganda video that his family cleared for publication on August 2, 2025.

Former hostage Evyatar David, who was filmed pale and emaciated in a video where he said he was digging his own grave in a Hamas tunnel in Gaza, recounts the experience one year after the video was filmed.

The footage, released in early August last year and filmed a few days prior, sparked outcry and became one of the most harrowing images of the plight of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas in the terror group’s October 7, 2023, attack.

In the video, a skeletal David described how he had not eaten for a few days, held a shovel and dug a pit in a tunnel.

“This is the grave I think I’m going to be buried in,” he said in the video. “Time is running out. You are the only ones who can end this.”

Speaking to Channel 12’s Uvda program today, David recalls smelling food being eaten by his captors as they took him to film the video.

“They tell me, come, we’re going somewhere else for a moment,” he recalls. “On the way, we pass by their big room… I was blindfolded, and I remember the smell of tea they’re preparing and cakes, and hear them chewing. And a skeleton is walking by them now, and they’re enjoying cake and tea.”

His captors then showed him a pit and instructed him to dig, he recalls.

“Then we get to this place, and I see a half-dug pit, and they say, ‘Here, take this, here’s a shovel, go in, this will be your grave,” he recalls. “I dug this grave. It was close to impossible to do physically. I told myself in my head, it could be that if I’m really going to die, I’ll go lay down in this pit.”

He adds, “Think of what it is to dig your own grave. Maybe I am going to die of hunger?”

David, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival, was released in October along with the rest of the surviving hostages upon the signing of a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

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