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REPORT: Israel Issues Final Warning for Gaza City Evacuation as Full-Scale Invasion Nears Amid Peace Deal Pressure

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As Israeli forces close in on Gaza City, the Israeli military has issued what it calls a “final opportunity” for Palestinians to flee, warning that those who remain will be treated as “terrorists and supporters of terror.” The warning comes as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claim near-total control of the Netzarim Corridor, a central route that effectively splits the Gaza Strip in two.

According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, the move is aimed at isolating Hamas in Gaza City. “This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south,” Katz stated, while adding that the military operation will proceed regardless of ongoing cease-fire talks. “We are preparing for all possibilities,” he said, referring to both the goal of eliminating Hamas and freeing the remaining 48 Israeli hostages.

While Israel urges civilians to flee south, questions remain over where exactly Palestinians are expected to go. Southern Gaza is already overwhelmed with displaced residents, limited shelter, and ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Humanitarian agencies have warned repeatedly that no area of Gaza is truly safe.
Reports from Gaza’s civil defense indicate that 36 people were killed in Gaza City on Wednesday alone, underscoring the dangers of attempting to evacuate amid constant shelling. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the evacuation as forced displacement, warning that treating civilians who remain as combatants violates international law.

The United Nations has described the situation as a “looming catastrophe,” and the International Criminal Court is reportedly reviewing whether the siege and bombardment meet the legal definition of genocide, given the high civilian death toll, widespread displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and churches.

The siege of Gaza City comes amid growing scrutiny of Israeli military actions. Multiple churches, including the historic Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, have been struck during the conflict, drawing international condemnation. Israel claims the strikes target Hamas operatives using civilian sites as shields, but religious leaders and humanitarian groups insist these attacks violate protections under international law.

With access to clean water, electricity, and medical care all but vanished in northern Gaza, the implications of a full siege could be devastating for the tens of thousands who remain, many of whom are elderly, disabled, or unable to evacuate due to lack of transport.

As the violence escalates, pressure is mounting on all parties to accept a U.S.-backed cease-fire plan spearheaded by former President Donald Trump. The 20-point proposal includes:

An immediate cease-fire
The exchange of all remaining hostages
A staged withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza
The disarmament of Hamas
The establishment of a transitional government under international supervision

The proposal has been backed by several Arab states and is reportedly being reviewed by Hamas leadership. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled that military objectives will not be paused for diplomatic talks. “The only path forward is victory over Hamas,” Netanyahu said this week.

With the IDF declaring that anyone left in Gaza City may be considered a combatant, the stage is set for what may be the bloodiest phase of the war yet. Humanitarian groups warn that labeling civilians as enemy combatants risks mass civilian casualties and undermines the principle of distinction — a core tenet of international humanitarian law.

The UN estimates that over 1.8 million Palestinians — more than 80% of Gaza’s population — have already been displaced since the conflict reignited nearly two years ago. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, and vital infrastructure has been decimated.

If a full-scale invasion proceeds, it could mark a significant escalation in a war that is already being examined under the lens of potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Trump’s 21-Point Gaza Peace Plan Revealed — And It’s Getting Rave Reviews From Arab Allies

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All 21 facets of President Trump’s Gaza peace plan were revealed Saturday, including a staunch demand to release all the Israeli hostages in Hamas’ captivity within 48 hours of inking any deal, a push to deradicalize the Palestinian enclave, and a commitment to end all fighting.

The peace plan also paves the pathway to possible Palestinian statehood, lays out steps to revitalize the Gaza Strip, and stipulates that Hamas cannot be part of any governing structure, according to the Times of Israel, which saw a copy of the full plan.

Trump presented the plan to allies Tuesday at the United Nations, but its full scope has not been fully presented to Hamas yet. The plan lays out a series of strong demands to the terrorist organization and makes key overtures to Gazans.

Under the proposal, all sides will work to redevelop Gaza, pour aid into the war-torn enclave at levels not lower than the January 2025 hostage deal.

Israeli Defense Forces would gradually withdraw from Gaza and Israel would agree to release key Palestinian prisoners. Hamas members who agree to peaceful coexistence will get amnesty. Those who want to leave will get safe passage to other countries.

Critically, anyone who wants to return to Gaza after leaving will be allowed to do so. (Read more from “Trump’s 21-Point Gaza Peace Plan Revealed — And It’s Getting Rave Reviews From Arab Allies” HERE)

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Israeli Drone Strike Kills American Family in Lebanon, Lebanese Officials Say

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An Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon killed five civilians on Sunday, including four U.S. citizens — a father and his three children — according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The strike, which also left two people injured, including the children’s mother, has sparked outrage across Lebanon and renewed concerns about escalating tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border.

The Israeli military confirmed it conducted the strike, claiming it targeted a Hezbollah militant who was “operating from within a civilian population.” While acknowledging civilian casualties, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it is reviewing the incident.

Lebanese officials say the drone strike occurred in the southern village of Qana, a region that has been repeatedly hit by Israeli strikes in recent months. Although Hezbollah has largely refrained from cross-border fire since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was reached in November, Israel has continued to launch near-daily attacks on what it claims are Hezbollah positions in southern and eastern Lebanon.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed that four of the five people killed held American citizenship. As of Sunday evening, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut had not issued a statement.

The attack comes amid fragile post-war conditions following the monthslong conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which claimed an estimated 4,000 lives in Lebanon and displaced tens of thousands of people. The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States in coordination with France and the United Nations, was meant to halt hostilities and begin a phased withdrawal of both Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters from southern Lebanon.

However, Lebanon says Israel has failed to honor the terms of the agreement, maintaining a military presence at five strategic hilltop locations near the border. Hezbollah, for its part, has refused to disarm, citing continued Israeli aggression and a lack of trust in the international monitoring mechanism.

President Joseph Aoun, speaking from New York where he arrived ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, condemned the Israeli strike and called on the international community to pressure Israel to cease its operations in Lebanese territory. He was joined by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in urging full implementation of last month’s agreement aimed at gradually disarming Hezbollah while ensuring Lebanese sovereignty.

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Israeli Finance Minister Calls Gaza a “Real Estate Bonanza” Amid UN Genocide Determination

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Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the Gaza Strip as a “real estate bonanza” during a conference this week, framing post-war reconstruction in the enclave as a financial opportunity and revealing that discussions are underway with U.S. officials about dividing the territory after the war.

Smotrich made the remarks Wednesday at a real estate conference in Tel Aviv, where he claimed that the war has created an economic opening for Israeli redevelopment in Gaza. “We have paid a lot of money for this war. We have to see how we are dividing up the land in percentages,” he said. “The demolition, the first stage in the city’s renewal, we have already done. Now we need to build.”

The far-right minister, who leads the Religious Zionism party, also told the audience that “a business plan, put together by the most professional people here,” is already “on President Trump’s desk.” He did not clarify whether the plan had official backing from the Israeli government or the U.S. administration. The White House and U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The comments come at a highly sensitive moment in the ongoing war, as the United Nations this week formally determined that Israel’s military actions in Gaza constitute a genocide, citing systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure, mass displacement, and an apparent intent to destroy Palestinian life in the territory. The UN’s designation adds significant legal and diplomatic pressure on Israel, which continues to reject such accusations.

Smotrich’s remarks appear to directly contradict repeated statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said publicly that he does not plan to reestablish Israeli settlements in Gaza. However, some members of Netanyahu’s coalition — including Smotrich — have continued to promote the idea of turning the Strip into a permanent extension of Israeli territory.

In July, Smotrich participated in a Knesset event titled “The Gaza Riviera – From Vision to Reality,” where he expressed support for reestablishing Jewish settlements in the Strip. “Gaza will become an inseparable part of the State of Israel,” he said at the time.

Smotrich has also pushed to revive former settlements in the northern West Bank that were evacuated in 2005 during Israel’s disengagement from Gaza. In an interview last month with his party’s newsletter, he confirmed efforts to rebuild the settlements of Ganim and Kadim.

Palestinians and the broader international community — including the United Nations, the European Union, and Arab states — have insisted that any post-war administration in Gaza must be Palestinian-led and free from Israeli or U.S. occupation. The idea of turning Gaza into Israeli territory has been widely condemned as a violation of international law and an obstacle to any future two-state solution.

Human rights organizations have warned that openly discussing redevelopment or settlement plans while the war is ongoing — and while civilian casualties continue to mount — signals intent consistent with the allegations laid out in the UN genocide finding.

The war in Gaza, which began after the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis, has resulted in widespread destruction across the enclave. According to health officials in Gaza, more than 35,000 Palestinians — the majority of them women and children — have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and ground operations, with thousands more missing or injured. Infrastructure across the Strip, including hospitals, schools, and refugee camps, has been decimated.

UN Inquiry Finds Top Israeli Officials Incited Genocide in Gaza

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A United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded on Tuesday that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and that top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu incited these acts – accusations that Israel called scandalous.

The U.N. report, issued as Israel announced the start of a ground operation in Gaza City, cites examples of the scale of the killings, aid blockages, forced displacement and the destruction of a fertility clinic to back up its genocide finding, adding its voice to a scholars’ association and rights groups that have reached the same conclusion.

“Today we witness in real time how the promise of ‘never again’ is broken and tested in the eyes of the world. The ongoing genocide in Gaza is a moral outrage and a legal emergency,” Navi Pillay, head of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and a former International Criminal Court judge, told a Geneva press briefing.

“The responsibility for these atrocity crimes lies with Israeli authorities at the highest echelons who have orchestrated a genocidal campaign for almost two years now with the specific intent to destroy the Palestinian group in Gaza.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who was also named in the report, condemned its findings, which he said misinterpreted his words. (Read more from “UN Inquiry Finds Top Israeli Officials Incited Genocide in Gaza” HERE)

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Report: Charlie Kirk Rejected Netanyahu’s Funds, ‘Frightened’ of Israel Lobby Before Death

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A Trump insider and long-time friend of murdered [conservative] influencer Charlie Kirk has told the Grayzone that Kirk’s burgeoning change of heart on Israeli influence over US politics provoked a backlash from Netanyahu’s allies that left him angry and ‘frightened’ of the Israel lobby after a seeming Israeli spying operation was uncovered.

According to [an unverified] source close to Kirk, Kirk rejected a huge offer of cash from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year for his ‘Turning Point USA’ (TPUSA), believed Netanyahu was trying to bring him to heel after he began to raise public questions over Israel’s “overwhelming influence in Washington” and had begun to “loathe” Netanyahu and his influence over Donald Trump’s appointments and decisions, which had led to Kirk warning Trump against attacking Iran to please Israel.

Kirk’s new-found recognition of Israel’s influence led to him becoming the target of a “sustained private campaign of intimidation and free-floating fury by wealthy and powerful allies of Netanyahu”, and Kirk was frightened:

Kirk tried to underline his commitment to Israel, making a series of comments about the consistency and resoluteness of his devotion, but even the least criticism of Israel’s actions generated a mass backlash, as did his decision to host Dave Smith, a comedian and political commentator who has become increasingly critical of Israel during its genocide in Gaza, in a debate Kirk organised. As the Grayzone reported:

“He was being told what you’re not allowed to do, and it was driving him crazy,” Kirk’s friend recalled. The conservative youth leader was not only alienated by the hostile nature of the interactions, but “frightened” by the backlash.

The friend’s account dovetails with those of multiple right-wing commentators with access to Kirk. “I think, in the end, Charlie was going through a spiritual transformation,” Candace Owens, a conservative influencer who shifted decisively against Israel after October 7, reflected after her friend’s killing. “I know it, he was going through a lot. There was a lot of pressure, and it’s hard for me to watch the people who were pressuring him just say the things that they’re saying.”

(Read more from “Report: Charlie Kirk Rejected Netanyahu’s Funds, ‘Frightened’ of Israel Lobby Before Death” HERE)

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The House Just Passed a Bill Punishing “Politically Motivated” Boycotts of Israel

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In a first step toward a federal law punishing criticism of Israel, the House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a massive defense budget that would bar companies engaged in “politically motivated” boycotts of the country from Pentagon contracts.

The bill would effectively ban contractors boycotting Israel from tapping most federal contract dollars, since more than half of the $755 billion the U.S. government spent on contracts last year flowed through the Defense Department.

The ban, the latest legislative attempt to target the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel’s human rights violations, or BDS, would still have to pass the Senate. The upper chamber was debating its own version of the budget bill on Thursday that does not include an anti-BDS provision.

Critics predict a court challenge if the anti-boycott provision makes it into law.

“This amendment is really designed to shield Israel from any accountability by penalizing those who protest its violations of Palestinian human rights through boycotts, which should be protected by the First Amendment,” said Hassan El-Tayyab, the legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. (Read more from “The House Just Passed a Bill Punishing “Politically Motivated” Boycotts of Israel” HERE)

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A New Bill Could Let Marco Rubio Strip U.S. Citizens of Their Passports — for What They Say About Israel

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A bill making its way through the U.S. House of Representatives is raising red flags among civil rights advocates, who warn that it could give Secretary of State Marco Rubio the unchecked power to revoke U.S. passports — not for crimes committed, but for political beliefs expressed. The legislation, quietly introduced by Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), is set to be discussed in committee this week.

At first glance, the bill claims to target individuals providing “material support” to designated terrorist organizations. But a closer look reveals language so vague — and so sweeping — that experts say it could allow the government to strip passports from U.S. citizens simply for expressing dissent, especially dissent related to Israeli policy.

One section of the bill permits the secretary of state to deny or revoke a passport from anyone convicted — or even charged — with material support for terrorism. But the more controversial provision goes further, empowering the secretary to deny travel documents to anyone they believe has “knowingly aided, assisted, abetted, or otherwise provided material support” to a foreign terrorist group.

Rep. Mast, the bill’s sponsor, is no stranger to controversy. A former soldier for the Israeli military, Mast once stated publicly that babies in Gaza were “not innocent Palestinian civilians.” He has openly called for expelling “terrorist sympathizers” from the United States — a label he’s used to describe college students protesting U.S. military aid to Israel.

And what qualifies as “support,” anyway? In the current political climate, even calls for ceasefires, criticism of Israeli policy, or support for Palestinian rights are frequently met with accusations of antisemitism or terrorism sympathy. That’s not a hypothetical — it’s the framework Rubio and Mast are already operating within.

The broader implications are chilling. If a student writing an op-ed or a protester chanting at a demonstration can be labeled a threat to national security, then the U.S. passport — a core proof of citizenship and international identity — becomes a political weapon, one that can be revoked for holding the wrong opinion.

And if this bill becomes law, the person wielding that weapon will be Marco Rubio.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Israel Weighs West Bank Annexations in Response to Palestine Recognition Push

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The Israeli government is seriously debating the annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank in retaliation for the imminent recognition of Palestine by several western countries, according to three Israeli, U.S. and European officials with direct knowledge.

Why it matters: Most of the international community views the West Bank as occupied territory and would consider any Israeli annexations illegal and inflammatory.

Israel’s next move will depend on the stance of President Trump, who blocked Israeli annexations twice in his first term. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Axios the administration doesn’t yet have a position.

“I don’t know how extensive [the planned annexation] is. I’m not sure there is common view inside the Israeli government about where would it be and how much,” he said.

Some Israeli officials claim the Trump administration won’t oppose annexation because they’re so angry at the countries planning to recognize Palestine. (Read more from “Israel Weighs West Bank Annexations in Response to Palestine Recognition Push” HERE)

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Las Vegas Child Sex Sting: Netanyahu Cyber Chief Arrested, Released, and Returned to Israel

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By The Guardian. An Israeli government cybersecurity official was reportedly arrested recently by Las Vegas police and other authorities in Nevada who were conducting an undercover investigation aimed at online users seeking to sexually prey on children.

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, faces felony charges of luring a child with a computer for a sex act, alongside several other suspects who were apprehended during the two-week sting operation, the Las Vegas metropolitan police department said in a statement published on Friday. He has since been released from custody on $10,000 bail after an initial court appearance, records show, and returned to Israel.

As first reported by the news site Mediaite, a publicly posted screenshot of Alexandrovich’s page on the LinkedIn professional networking platform described him as the executive director of the Israel Cyber Directorate, an Israeli government agency under the purview of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Other information online attributes the same position to Alexandrovich.

The screenshot first reported by Mediaite also showed a post under Alexandrovich’s name alluding to his having been in Las Vegas earlier in August for the Black Hat Briefings, a yearly meeting of cybersecurity professionals.

“Two things you can’t escape at Black Hat 2025: the relentless buz of generative [artificial intelligence] and the sound of Hebrew … in every corridor,” Alexandrovich wrote in part in an accompanying post. Invoking an abbreviation for large language models and referring to one of Israel’s largest cities, the post continued: “The key takeaway? The future of cybersecurity is being written in code, and it seems a significant part of it is being authored in #TelAviv and powered by LLMs. An exciting time to be in the field!”

(Read more from “Las Vegas Child Sex Sting: Netanyahu Cyber Chief Arrested, Released, and Returned to Israel” HERE)

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Netanyahu associate, arrested in Las Vegas child sex sting, escapes without charges

By Press TV. An Israeli cyber official, who works directly under Benjamin Netanyahu, escaped to the occupied territories after his arrest in a US child sex operation in Nevada, US. . .

He has deep access to Israel’s cyber secrets and classified partnerships with foreign powers.

According to Las Vegas authorities, Alexandrovich and others were charged with luring a child with a computer for a sexual act. In Nevada, this felony carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

He was in Las Vegas for a professional conference, not as a registered diplomat. He has no diplomatic immunity. Yet US authorities allowed him to board a plane and return to Israeli-occupied territories within days, without trial, bail conditions, or public explanation.

Israeli outlet Ynet reported only that Alexandrovich was “briefly detained for questioning… before his release and return to Israel,” without mentioning the felony charges or the multi-agency child predator sting led by US authorities. (Read more from “Netanyahu associate, arrested in Las Vegas child sex sting, escapes without charges” HERE)

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Senior Israeli official arrested in US for child sex crimes

By The New Arab. . .[Tom] Alexandrovich, 38, was charged with attempting to lure a child with a computer for a sex act and detained in a facility near Las Vegas on 6 August, police records show. He was then released on $10,000 bail after appearing before a judge on 7 August.

It remains unclear who posted his bail or why he was allowed to leave the country. . .

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office initially denied that the official had been arrested and confirmed they had returned to Israel.

“A state employee who travelled to the US for professional matters was questioned by American authorities during his stay,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement to Israeli media. “The employee, who does not hold a diplomatic visa, was not arrested and returned to Israel as scheduled.”

The Cyber Directorate later told Israeli media that the earlier statement “was accurate based on the information provided to us” and denied involvement in posting Alexandrovich’s bail. (Read more from “Senior Israeli official arrested in US for child sex crimes” HERE)

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