More than 70 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, as starvation deaths rise and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signals plans to fully occupy the territory, according to Israeli media.
According to Israeli media, during a recent meeting, Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly presented Netanyahu with several proposals to gradually expand military operations in Gaza.
Netanyahu said on Monday he would convene his security Cabinet this week to direct the military on its three core war goals: defeating Hamas, securing the release of hostages, and preventing future attacks.
The death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 60,900, including thousands of children, according to local health officials. Nearly 190 people, including at least 94 children, have died from malnutrition.
The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen as Israel maintains tight restrictions on aid. Al Jazeera News reported that since July 27, only 769 aid trucks have entered Gaza, an average of 84 per day, far below the 500 to 600 trucks the UN says are needed daily.
Meanwhile, the United States remains the top arms supplier to Israel, spending over $17.9 billion on military support since October 2023, according to Brown University’s Costs of War Project.
NBC reported that Israeli protests are growing as public frustration mounts with the government’s handling of the war and the worsening conditions in Gaza.
Israeli news outlet Haaretz reported that Israel’s military leadership is said to be against a complete occupation of Gaza and prefers targeted raids and operations that aim to divide the territory into distinct zones.