Four more Palestinians die from hunger as Israel continues Gaza starvation siege

The New Arab's live blog on Israel's war in Gaza and other regional updates has now finished, and will resume at 0900am.

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Israeli settlers on Thursday reestablished an illegal outpost on a piece of land in the town of Atara, north of Ramallah, according to local sources as cited by Palestinian media.

They said that the settlers set up tents at the site of Jabal Khirbat Tarfirn near the town entrance after it was torn down by the occupation forces.

On Monday, dozens of Israeli settlers leveled the land and transported mobile homes to the site, under heavy protection from Israeli occupation forces, to displace the indigenous population and seize their lands for new settler-colonial projects.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, said on Thursday its fighters hit an Israeli Merkava tank with a Yassin 105 shell in southern Zeitoun, Gaza City’s largest neighbourhood – where Israeli forces have intensified attacks.

The group said its fighters also targeted two houses where Israeli soldiers had taken cover during their withdrawal from an ambush site, claiming to have inflicted both deaths and injuries among the troops, without providing more details, Al Jazeera reported.

Turkey condemns Israel's settlement plan aimed at dividing the West Bank and cutting it off from East Jerusalem, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, adding the decision was a total violation of
international law.

"This step... totally disregards international law and United Nations resolutions; targets the State of Palestine's territorial integrity, the basis for a two-state solution, and hopes for peace," it said in a statement, reiterating that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state was the only way to achieve lasting peace.

Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reportedly went to the cell of imprisoned Palestinian political figure and activist Marwan Barghouti and threatened him, according to reports on Thursday.

During the raid, Ben-Gvir issued a direct threat to Barghouti, saying: "You won’t win. Whoever messes with the nation of Israel, whoever murders our children and women – we will wipe them out. You should know this, [this happened] throughout history.

In response, Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh said that Ben-Gvir's threat to Barghouti in prison "is the height of psychological, moral, and physical terrorism practiced against prisoners, and a violation of international and humanitarian conventions and norms."

Germany "strongly" objects to an Israeli plan to build thousands of new homes in the West Bank, calling on the government to "stop settlement construction" in the Palestinian territory.

Berlin "strongly rejects the Israeli government's announcements on thousands of new settlements in the Israeli occupied areas of the West Bank", the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The EU's top diplomat urged Israel on Thursday "to desist" from a plan to build homes in a particularly contentious area of the occupied West Bank, which the Israeli finance minister has backed.

"The decision of Israeli authorities to advance the E1 settlement plan further undermines the two-state solution while being a breach of international law," Kaja Kallas said in a statement. "The EU urges Israel to desist from taking this decision forward, noting its far-reaching implications."

A Lebanese man was injured after an Israeli drone targeted a motorcycle in the southern town of Aitaroun, the National News Agency (NNA) said on Thursday.

NNA said the drone fired at least two missiles at the motorcycle.

The news agency added that Israeli aircraft were also flying over Nabatieh and other surrounding areas.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday his country was working with China and Russia to prevent the snapback of European sanctions over Tehran's nuclear programme after Britain, France and Germany threatened to reimpose them.

"We will try to prevent it," the top diplomat said in an interview with state TV, adding "We are working with China and Russia to stop it. If this does not work and they apply it, we have tools to respond. We will discuss them in due course."

President Donald Trump said on Thursday he would like to see journalists gain access to Gaza to see humanitarian efforts.

Israel has not allowed foreign reporters to enter Gaza since the start of its war in October 2023, unless they are under Israeli military escort. "I'd like to see that happen. Sure," Trump told reporters in
the Oval Office.

"I would be very fine with journalists going. And it's a very dangerous position to be in, as you know, if
you're a journalist, but I would like to see it."

David Lammy said Israeli plans to develop a settlement that would divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem marked a breach of international law and must be stopped immediately.

"The UK strongly opposes the Israeli government's E1 settlement plans, which would divide a future Palestinian state in two and mark a flagrant breach of international law. The plans must be stopped now," Lammy said in an emailed statement.

The chief of the UN's agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), said that the agency's warehouses in Egypt and Jordan had enough aid for 6,000 trucks, but that it was prevented by Israel from bring in the aid into the enclave.

"We join the NGOs to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and for aid to be allowed in, managed by the UN system including UNRWA," Philippe Lazzarini said.

Like these NGOs, @UNRWA has also been banned from bringing in aid to #Gaza for over 5 months now.

Our warehouses in Egypt and Jordan are full with food, medicine and hygiene supplies to fill 6,000 trucks.

We join the NGOs to call for a #ceasefire in #Gaza and for aid to be… https://t.co/Gfm9MODN8g

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) August 14, 2025

Thursday responded to Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's announcement that work would start on a long-delayed settlement that would divide the West Bank by saying that a stable West Bank is in line with the Trump administration's goal for peace in the region.

Asked about Smotrich's statement that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had agreed to the revival of the so-called E1 development, a spokesperson for the US State Department said the US remained focused on ending the war in Gaza and ensuring Hamas will never govern that territory again.

"A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration's goal to achieve peace in the region," the spokesperson said, while referring to the Israeli government for further information.

Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir met with defence minister Israel Katz with the two discussing plans to take over Gaza City.

Katz was quoted in a statement as saying, "the State of Israel is determined to defeat Hamas in Gaza, release all the hostages, and bring the war to an end," according to The Times of Israel.

"The [Israeli army] is mobilising all forces and preparing with great strength to implement the cabinet's decision. We will act as one fist until the mission is completed," he added.

Qatar has condemned comments made by Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said that the government would build over 3,000 homes at the E1 settlement, dividing the occupied West Bank in two, and "eliminates the idea of a Palestinian state." 

"The State of Qatar strongly condemns the Israeli Finance Minister's approval of plans to construct a settlement that would separate East Jerusalem from the occupied West Bank, considering it a blatant violation of international legitimacy, particularly United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334."

Statement | Qatar Condemns Israeli Finance Minister’s Approval of Settlement Plans Separating East Jerusalem from the Occupied West Bank#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/5BRIC3didA

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) August 14, 2025

Gaza's Ministry of Health has said that Israeli attacks on the enclave over the past 24 hours have killed 54 Palestinians and wounded a further 831.

The ministry added that the total number of killed in Israel's war on Gaza is 61,776 Palestinians have been killed and a further 154,906 have been wounded since the beginning of the war.

Israel's neighbour Jordan on Wednesday condemned Benjamin Netanyahu's "Greater Israel" remarks as a "dangerous and provocative escalation" and "a threat to the sovereignty of states".

A spokesman for its foreign ministry went on to reject what he called Netanyahu's "inflammatory" rhetoric and "delusional claims".

Egypt also said on Wednesday that it had "requested clarification on this matter", characterising it as tantamount to a "rejection of the option of peace in the region".

On Thursday, Iraq's foreign ministry condemned the comments, saying they revealed Israel's "expansionist ambitions" and were "a clear provocation to the sovereignty of countries".

Gaza mediator Qatar also decried Netanyahu's statements calling them "absurd" and "inflammatory".

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday voiced "its total rejection of the ideas and plans for colonisation and expansion adopted by the Israeli occupation authorities", reiterating "the historical and legal right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state".

 Human Rights Watch alleged Thursday that an Israeli airstrike on a notorious Iranian prison was “an apparent war crime”, while also accusing Tehran of harming and disappearing prisoners after the attack.

Israel struck Evin Prison in Tehran, one of Iran's most notorious detention facilities for political activists and dissidents, on June 23, during its 12-day war with the Islamic Republic.

The strikes during visiting hours hit Evin Prison’s main southern entrance, another northern entrance and other areas of the complex, destroying buildings that had medical facilities and prison wards.

The Iranian authorities initially said at least 71 people were killed during the airstrike, among them civilians including inmates, visiting relatives, and prison staff. Iranian media later raised that number to 80.

It was unclear why Israel targeted the prison.

Human Rights Watch said the attack was “unlawfully indiscriminate” and that there was no evidence of an advance warning or a military target before striking the prison complex, which it estimates holds over 1,500 prisoners.

“To make matters worse, Israeli forces put at grave risk prisoners who were already victims of Iranian authorities’ brutal repression,” said Michael Page, the rights group’s deputy Middle East director.

Human Rights Watch says prisoners were subject to “ill-treatment and violence” both as they were being taken out of the prison following the attack and as they were returned.

Mossad spy chief David Barnea is visiting Qatar to revive Gaza peace talks, two Israeli officials told Reuters on Thursday.

The visit follows a reported expression of eagerness by Hamas for a swift return to Gaza ceasefire negotiations during a meeting with Egypt's intelligence chief in Cairo.

Meanwhile, Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Thursday plans to commence work on a long-delayed settlement that would divide the West Bank and isolate it from East Jerusalem, a move his office stated would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has thanked a senior Iranian official for his country's ongoing support in confronting Israel, the Lebanese militant group said on Thursday.

For decades, Tehran has been the main backer of the Shia Muslim group, which emerged badly weakened from last year's war with Israel that saw its arsenal pummelled and senior commanders killed.

Qassem met with Iran's Supreme National Security Council chief Ali Larijani, who arrived in Beirut on Wednesday, and thanked Iran "for the ongoing support to Lebanon and its resistance against the Israeli enemy", the group said in a statement.

He also thanked Iran for its support for Lebanon's "unity, sovereignty and independence", and emphasised "the brotherly relations between the Lebanese and Iranian people".

The European Union rejects any territorial change involving Israel and Gaza that is not part of a political agreement, a European Commission spokesperson said in response to questions on Thursday.

Sharren Haskel said on Thursday that a non-Israeli, peaceful civilian administration for Gaza was among the Israeli government's five key principles for ending the war.

The other principles include the release of hostages still held in Gaza, the surrender of weapons by Hamas, the full demilitarisation of Gaza, and Israel retaining overriding security control, he said.

Riot police at Greece's largest port cordoned off an area around an Israeli cruise ship that arrived early Thursday to prevent several hundred protesters from approaching the vessel.

Protests have been held at Greek islands and mainland ports along the route of the Crown Iris, several of which have led to clashes with police.

At the port of Piraeus, near Athens, on Thursday demonstrators held flares and waved Palestinian flags behind a cordon formed with riot police buses.

Protest organizers, citing online posts from travelers, said off-duty Israeli soldiers were among the passengers.

"They are unwanted here and have no business being here," protest organizer Markos Bekris said. "The blood of innocent people is on their hands, and we should not welcome them."

A plane used by Israel's Mossad intelligence agency has landed in Qatar, according to Haaretz, adding that occasionally the plane is used by director David Barnea. 

Israel's starvation of Gaza has killed four Palestinians in 24 hours, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health, which added that 239 Palestinians have been killed in total.

Israeli forces have shot a Palestinian man at the Qalandia checkpoint north of Jerusalem, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Yemen's Houthis have claimed responsibility for firing a missile at Israel, which it said was in response to Israel's ongoing war on Gaza. 

In the statement, the Houthis said they targetted Ben Gurion Airport, Israel's main international airport.

Bezalel Smotrich approved plans overnight for a settlement that would split East Jerusalem from the occupied West Bank, a move his office said would bury the idea of a Palestinian state.

It was not immediately clear if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed the plan to revive the long-frozen E1 scheme, which Palestinians and world powers have said would lop the West Bank in two and will likely draw international ire.

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 had frozen construction plans there since 2012 because of objections from the United States, European allies and other world powers who considered the project a threat to any future peace deal with the Palestinians.

16 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn, according to Al Jazeera, with at least five aid seekers being killed by Israeli fire north of Rafah, according to a source from Nasser Hospital speaking with the outlet.