Qassam Brigades reports more attacks on Israeli troops in GazaWe reported earlier that the armed wing of Hamas said it attacked a group of Israeli soldiers and vehicles with mortar shells in Khan Younis.
The Qassam Brigades now reports several more attacks, most of which took place in northern Gaza.
It said its fighters launched rocket-propelled grenades at a military vehicle in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City. In a separate attack, the group sniped an Israeli soldier atop a Merkava tank before launching mortar shells at the area near the al-Arqam School east of Tuffah.
Two more soldiers were targeted with sniper rifles in the Shujayea neighbourhood of Gaza City, while another mortar attack was reported in the Morag area of Khan Younis in the south, it added.
Death toll from starvation rises to 159Local hospitals say that at least two more Palestinians were reported to have died from Israel’s forced starvation in the last 24 hours.
That brings the total number of hunger-related fatalities since Israel’s war began to 159.
As we reported earlier, infants have been particularly vulnerable, with shortages of infant formula leaving new mothers with few options.
Of those who died from starvation, at least 90 were children. UN officials have repeatedly called on Israel to allow an uninterrupted flow of aid supplies.
Gaza media office reports widespread aid truck lootingThe office reports that 104 aid trucks entered Gaza today, saying the “majority” were subjected to looting.
It further accused Israel of “deliberately perpetuating” security chaos, adding it affirmed the UN’s position that 600 trucks are needed a day to adequately provide for the population.
Earlier today, we reported that a UN spokesperson said that aid trucks had been restricted to only one crossing into Gaza and were subject to “ad hoc” security checks by the Israeli military.
He said this has led to delays and increased dangers for both those making the deliveries and those seeking aid.
Journalists in Gaza have reported that Israeli operations have led to a breakdown in central governance, which has empowered criminal gangs.
Israel launches air strikes across southern, eastern LebanonThe Israeli military has launched a series of air strikes on areas across Lebanon, but has not commented on the attacks yet.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported at least five air raids on towns in the Bekaa Valley and a mountainous region in Baalbek in the eastern and northeastern parts of the country.
It also said more attacks targeted the Ghazieh area of south Lebanon, leading to a fire at a warehouse.
https://twitter.com/bintjbeilnews/status/1950938816723788037Smoke rises after Israeli air attacks hit LebanonLebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reports that the number of Israeli air attacks on the mountain ranges in eastern Lebanon’s Baalbek reached at least seven.
The Israeli raids targeted the outskirts of Brital town and Nasiriyah town in Tallet al-Sunduq area in Bekaa Valley, as well as the vicinity of Jarmak area in Jezzine, and the areas of Mahmoudiya and Khardali.
The footage below, which has been verified by Al Jazeera, shows large plumes of smoke rising after the attacks.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMxxdoSi0Xz/Houthi leader promises wider attacks on companies linked with IsraelHouthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi has emphasised his commitment to a “fourth phase” of attacks to oppose the war on Gaza announced earlier this week, which will include targeting the ships of any company that has dealings with the Israeli army or transports goods to Israel.
The Houthi armed forces “are capable of reaching them”, he said during a televised speech that lasted about 100 minutes, adding that widening the scale of attacks was “a necessary step” in response to the Israeli-imposed famine in Gaza.
“We direct a warning to anyone who dares to stand with the Israeli enemy, using all tools of betrayal, treachery and criminality,” al-Houthi said.
He renewed his denunciation of Arab countries in the region for not standing up to Israel and the US, and said any Arab state that continues to have economic relations and trade with Israel must follow the example of Colombia, which banned coal exports to Israel this week.
The Houthi leader described military operations against Israel as “ongoing” and said the group launched 10 missiles and drones this week, targeting Ben Gurion International Airport among other places.
Israeli media reports diplomats evacuating from UAEThe Kann public broadcaster has reported that the Israeli representatives in the country have been ordered to evacuate their delegation.
The move comes after Israel’s National Security Council reiterated a travel warning for the Gulf country, citing “our understanding that terrorist organisations (the Iranians, Hamas, Hezbollah and Global Jihad) are increasing their efforts to harm Israel”.
The UAE and Israel agreed to normalise ties in 2020, which saw the first direct commercial flights between the pair in decades.
Islamic Jihad releases video of Israeli captive held in GazaThe Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has released a six-minute video showing Israeli soldier Rom Braslavski in captivity.
The video shows Braslavski being displayed footage of starving children in Gaza among other things. The armed group did not disclose any information, only saying that this was the last message from him before PIJ lost contact with the operatives holding him.
PIJ had, on July 22 claimed, that it lost contact with operatives holding Braslavski, with the announcement coming shortly after the Israeli army launched a ground invasion of Deir el-Balah in central Gaza for the first time.
Israeli soldiers had not previously launched a ground assault there due to concerns of harming living captives held in the area. Approximately 20 of the 50 captives held in Gaza are believed to be alive.
After the video was released, Braslavski’s family said in a statement that he has been “forgotten” and is not receiving food or medicine.
Rights group hails ‘historic’ US Senate vote to block arms sales to IsraelThe Council on American-Islamic Relations has hailed a US Senate vote on blocking arms sales to Israel.
The vote on the legislation, which has been regularly introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders throughout the war in Gaza, failed to pass in the 100-member chamber on Wednesday.
Still, it accrued more votes than ever before, with 27 out of the 47 Democrats in the chamber voting in favour, in a sign of mounting outrage.
“Although last night’s Senate vote should have been 100–0 in favor of these resolutions, the fact that a majority of Senate Democrats voted yes is a historic moment and a sign that sentiments in Congress are gradually catching up to the American people, most of whom now oppose the Israeli government’s genocide in Gaza and support restricting military aid to Israel,” the group said.
Slovenia bans arms trade with IsraelThe government of Slovenia says it has become the first European Union country to officially prohibit the export and transit of military weapons and equipment from or through its territory to Israel, or arms imports from Israel.
The Central European nation’s government said in a statement that the EU is unable to adopt “concrete measures” to stop the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as a result of “internal disagreements and disunity”.
“People in Gaza are dying because humanitarian aid is systematically denied them,” it said, adding that “it is the duty of every responsible state to act, even if this means taking a step ahead of others”.
The government of Prime Minister Robert Golob said it “consistently and principledly advocates respect for international law and the protection of human rights” and will therefore take more measures against the Israeli government in the coming weeks without elaborating.
Hamas says ending war ‘humanitarian and moral duty’Hamas has released a statement following a UN conference in New York addressing the Israel-Palestine issue, after which attendees voiced “unwavering support” for a two-state solution.
Hamas said that “any effort made at the international level to support our Palestinian people and their legitimate rights is appreciated and welcomed”.
However, it noted that no progress could be made until Israel ended its war in Gaza, which would mean “halting the crime of genocide and the systematic starvation policy practiced by the occupation forces”.
Hamas added that it was ready to resolve the war – and release remaining Israeli captives – via a ceasefire agreement that saw a “complete withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, the opening of crossings, and the immediate commencement of reconstruction”.
The group underscored the need to move towards a political process “leading to the end of the occupation and achieving our people’s aspirations to establish their fully sovereign independent state, with Jerusalem as its capital”.
Hamas: Ready to negotiate once aid reaches Gaza’s starvingThe Palestinian group says in a statement released via its Telegram channel that it is ready to “immediately” engage in negotiations to end the war in Gaza “once aid reaches those who deserve it and the humanitarian crisis and famine in Gaza are ended”.
“Continuing negotiations in the shadow of starvation lose their substance and usefulness, especially after the criminal Zionist occupation withdrew from the negotiations last week without justification, at a time when we were on the verge of reaching an agreement”, the statement reads.
Israel indeed walked away from negotiations last week after Hamas submitted what it said was a “positive” and “constructive” response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire it was handed.
‘We need help’: Family pleads for release of US teenager held by IsraelAli HarbIsraeli authorities have been detaining an American teenager for nearly six months without trial for allegedly throwing rocks at Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, a claim the 16-year-old’s family denies while expressing concern for his deteriorating health.
Mohammed Ibrahim, a Palestinian-American who was born in the US state of Florida, has been completely cut off from his family since his arrest in February without visitation or telephone rights, his father and uncle said.
According to an Israeli military interrogation video obtained by the family and seen by Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Mohammed denied accusations that he was throwing rocks at Israeli vehicles near his village north of Ramallah.
Zaher Ibrahim, the jailed teenager’s father, said on Wednesday that the family has received reports that Mohammed is losing weight drastically and suffering from a skin infection. Ibrahim said he is concerned about his son’s wellbeing.
Fourteen arrested at anti-war protest in Haifa: PoliceIsrael’s police service says on X that the demonstrators were arrested after “they ignored repeated police calls and raised banners and chanted slogans against Israel and its military operations in Gaza, potentially posing a threat to public safety”.
German FM meets Netanyahu amid war of words over Palestinian statehoodGerman Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has met Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, according to the office of the Israeli prime minister, which did not provide details of the meeting.
Wadephul told reporters moments ago that Israel is in danger of becoming isolated. Countries around the world have been increasingly speaking out against Israel as it continues to manufacture famine in the Gaza Strip, carries out daily bombing raids that kill civilians and supports extremist settlers in the occupied West Bank.
“Israel must always find friends, partners and supporters in the international community. And that is currently in danger in this situation. And if there is one country that has a responsibility to prevent this, then in my view it is Germany,” Wadephul said.
Wadephul met Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar earlier, shortly after Germany said recognition of a Palestinian state should come at the end of talks on a two-state solution.
The stance angered far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who wrote on X that “80 years after the Holocaust, and Germany is returning to support Nazism”.
Witkoff, Huckabee to travel to Gaza Friday: White HouseThe US envoy and the US ambassador to Israel are set to travel to Gaza on Friday, according to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
Steve Witkoff and Mike Huckabee will inspect the current food distribution sites and work on a plan to deliver more food, Leavitt said.
She added they would meet with local Gazans to “hear firsthand about this dire situation on the ground”.
More details of the visit, and how it would be coordinated, were not immediately available.
Brown University reaches settlement deal after ‘anti-Semitism’ rowBrown University has become the third Ivy League campus to reach a deal with the Donald Trump administration, which among other things, has accused the country’s top universities of “anti-Semitism” because their students organised pro-Palestine protests.
As part of the deal, Brown will pay $50m over 10 years to improve Rhode Island’s workforce development programmes.
It will also commit to supporting its local Jewish community and restricting its acknowledgement of transgender students.
Body recovered from home near Gaza Catholic churchGaza’s Civil Defence says one of its teams, after coordination with Israeli forces, was able to recover a body from a family home that had been targeted by Israeli forces and was located near the Holy Family Church in Gaza City.
In a statement, it said there are “still missing people under the rubble of the house, and it is difficult to reach and recover their bodies”.
Israeli forces bombed Gaza’s only Catholic church on July 17, killing at least three people, including the parish’s 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman who was receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/7/31/live-israel-kills-over-90-in-gaza-in-one-day-as-starvation-deaths-mount