Gaza News Highlights, 11 August 2025: EU condemns Israeli strike that killed five Al Jazeera journalists, demands evidence for terror claims

The European Union has officially condemned an Israeli strike in Gaza that resulted in the deaths of five Al Jazeera journalists, Israel National News says in a report. Following the incident, Israel alleged that the journalists were Hamas terrorists. In its statement of condemnation, the EU urged Israel to provide evidence to substantiate this claim. The demand for proof comes amid heightened international scrutiny of military actions in the Gaza Strip.

A former senior Mossad official who served on the hostage release negotiation team at the beginning of the war was later questioned under caution as part of the "Qatar-Gate" investigation, Israel National News said in a report. The questioning is reportedly related to undisclosed ties the former official had with Qatar. The official's involvement on the sensitive negotiation team, which works to secure the release of hostages from Gaza, occurred prior to being formally questioned as a suspect in the affair.

US President Donald Trump stated in an interview with Israeli media that he does not believe Hamas will release the remaining hostages under the current circumstances, Israel National News said in a report. Trump also asserted that Hamas "cannot stay" in Gaza and stressed the importance for people to "remember October 7th."

Israel's security cabinet has approved a new offensive in Gaza City, but the operation could take weeks to begin, according to officials, creating an opportunity for a ceasefire, Reuters says in a report. This timeline contrasts with a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the offensive would get underway "fairly quickly" with the goal of defeating Hamas. Two officials present at the Thursday security cabinet meeting where the plan was approved confirmed the potential for a weeks-long delay before the offensive's launch.

Speaking at the dedication of the Knesset Museum in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country is 'before the end of the campaign' in Gaza, Israel National News says in a report. Netanyahu stated that Israel is focused on overcoming 'the remnants of the Iranian axis' and securing the release of all hostages, including both 'the living and the deceased'. The statement comes amidst ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza and stalled negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release.

Amid growing international support for Palestinian statehood, including recent recognitions by several European countries in May 2024, the debate over the legal and practical pathways to becoming a state has intensified, Deutsche Welle says in a report. While the Montevideo Convention outlines criteria such as a defined territory and a permanent population, a significant challenge remains the requirement for an effective government. The political division between the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza complicates the ability to demonstrate unified control, a key obstacle on the path to full, functional statehood despite increasing diplomatic endorsements.

Two leaders from Progressive Judaism were booed off stage during a hostage rally in the UK after advocating for a Palestinian state, according to a report in The Times of Israel. While speaking at the event, which was organized to call for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, the rabbis expressed sympathy for innocent civilians killed in the conflict. They reportedly rejected "violence, terror, and the suffering of civilians" as a method to build a state but were met with a negative reaction from the crowd for raising the issue of Palestinian statehood.

The Hostage Families Forum strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a comment in which he seemed to pledge to free only "20 hostages," a figure that implied only those who are alive, according to a report in The Times of Israel. The group publicly called his statement "wrong" and urged him to confirm his commitment to returning all captives, including the 30 who are confirmed or feared to be dead. Following the backlash, Netanyahu issued a clarifying statement, affirming, "We are struggling for all of them, the living and the fallen as one."

Israel's Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, has warned that the government's continued delay in forming an official state commission of inquiry is actively harming future capabilities to investigate the October 7, 2023, massacre, according to a report in Haaretz. The statement highlights a growing conflict between the nation's top legal authority and the executive branch over accountability for the intelligence and operational failures that led to the attack originating from the Gaza Strip. The AG's position reinforces public and political pressure on the government to establish a formal, independent body to conduct a comprehensive review of the events, a move the government has so far resisted.

A coalition of Israeli women's groups and mothers of IDF soldiers held a protest demanding an end to the ongoing war in Gaza, Haaretz said in a report. The demonstration highlights the internal pressure for a change in strategy as the conflict marks 675 days since its start. Protesters are calling for the return of the 50 hostages who remain in captivity and are expressing frustration over the prolonged fighting and its human cost.

The family of a Nepali national held hostage in the Gaza Strip is traveling to Israel for the first time to receive a briefing from officials regarding the circumstances of their relative's captivity, according to a report in Haaretz. The Nepali citizen was among those taken hostage from Israeli territory during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023.

Israel's Foreign Ministry has issued a security caution for its citizens currently in Greece, advising them to avoid areas where pro-Palestinian demonstrations are scheduled to take place, Haaretz said in a report. The warning comes in response to calls for a 'Day of Rage,' which has prompted protests related to the ongoing situation in Gaza. The ministry's advisory is a precautionary measure aimed at ensuring the safety of Israeli nationals abroad amidst the planned demonstrations.

Israel's High Court of Justice has ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to provide a detailed explanation of its decision-making process regarding the hostage crisis and the strategy for concluding the war in Gaza, as per a report in Haaretz. The court's order requires the government to clarify the rationale and the factors it considers when making decisions on these critical national security issues. This development follows petitions filed with the court and comes amid ongoing public pressure from the families of hostages demanding greater transparency and a clear strategy for their loved ones' release.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday criticized Israel's plans to intensify its military operations in Gaza, calling it a "disaster waiting to happen," according to a report in Reuters. His statement follows the Israeli security cabinet's approval last week of a plan to take control of Gaza City, which would expand its military presence in the area. In response, Macron proposed the formation of an international coalition operating under a United Nations mandate to help stabilize the Gaza Strip.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is 'gravely concerned' about the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza, his spokesperson said on Monday following an Israeli airstrike that killed five reporters, Reuters said in a report. The Israeli military stated that it had targeted and killed Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif in the strike, alleging that he headed a Hamas militant cell and was involved in rocket attacks.

An Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Sunday killed prominent Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif and four of his colleagues, according to a report in Reuters. The Israeli military confirmed it targeted and killed Al Sharif, alleging that he was the leader of a Hamas militant cell. The report notes that the journalist had previously been threatened by Israel, and the attack has drawn condemnation from journalists and rights groups.

A significant number of countries, over 140 UN members, have recognized the state of Palestine, but key Western powers like the US, UK, Germany, and France maintain that recognition should only follow a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel, Deutsche Welle says in a report. This long-held Western stance has been directly challenged by the official recognition of Palestine by Spain, Ireland, and Norway in May 2024. The ongoing conflict in Gaza, which began in October 2023, has intensified international calls for a two-state solution, increasing diplomatic pressure on Western governments to reconsider their position. The issue is further highlighted by recent UN General Assembly votes to grant Palestine additional rights and privileges, reflecting growing global support for its statehood.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel is "on the verge of concluding the war" in Gaza, as per a report in Israel National News. The statement was made to clarify remarks from a press conference on Sunday. Netanyahu also took the opportunity to underline his government's commitment to securing the return of all hostages being held, including those who are living and the bodies of those who are deceased.

A top legal advisor for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has stated that a military takeover of the Gaza Strip would make Israel legally responsible for the territory's civilian administration, according to a report in Haaretz. This assessment is based on international law, which mandates that an occupying power exercising 'effective control' must ensure public order and safety, as well as provide for the basic needs of the civilian population. The legal opinion was issued amidst ongoing IDF ground operations in Gaza and international discussions regarding post-conflict governance.

A man has been arrested after graffiti stating 'There's a Holocaust in Gaza' was spray-painted on the Western Wall in Jerusalem, according to a report in Haaretz. The Jerusalem Great Synagogue was also reportedly vandalized with graffiti. The act of desecration has drawn condemnation from Israeli politicians across the political spectrum.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected allegations of genocide concerning military operations in Gaza, stating that if such an act were Israel's intent, "it would have taken exactly one afternoon," according to a report in the Times of Israel. The publication also highlights that Netanyahu falsely claimed Israel never halted humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. This statement is contradicted by a policy his office announced in March, which restricted aid and was reversed 11 weeks later amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis and international legal pressure.

A man has been arrested in Jerusalem for allegedly spray-painting the phrase "There's a Holocaust in Gaza" on the Western Wall, one of Judaism's holiest sites, Haaretz said in a report. The incident, which the source noted occurred on "Day 675" of the ongoing war, prompted a police response leading to the individual's detention for the act of vandalism.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a significant policy shift, stating the UK will recognise a Palestinian state by September if Israel fails to meet certain conditions, according to a report in BBC. This move comes amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza and follows similar recent recognitions by Spain, Norway, and Ireland. The conditions for Israel are understood to relate to its commitment to a viable two-state solution, a cessation of settlement expansion, and increased humanitarian access to Gaza. Diplomatic recognition confers sovereign status, allowing for embassy exchanges, but does not in itself create a functioning state with defined borders, which would still require a negotiated settlement.

The Israel Defense Forces killed a Hamas sniper in Gaza who had injured an Israeli soldier, according to a report in Israel National News. Following the sniper attack, the IDF also utilized artillery to target other Hamas operatives in the area in an effort to provide support for its ground troops conducting operations.

Palestinians in the West Bank are expected to hold a protest in Ramallah on Monday, August 11, in response to the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza on Sunday, according to a report in Reuters.

Activists staged a protest at a Microsoft datacentre in the Netherlands, with some blocking access while others climbed onto the roof with flares on Sunday, according to a report in The Guardian. The demonstration was a response to recent revelations that the Israeli military is using the facility to store a large volume of data, including intercepted phone calls from Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address the international press in Jerusalem on Sunday, his first such conference since a key decision on Friday, France 24 says in a report. The press conference follows a security cabinet decision to expand the war in Gaza and move to take control of Gaza City.

Avraham Burg, a former Speaker of the Israeli Knesset who also previously led the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization, has publicly called for Jews around the world to take Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its conduct in Gaza, according to a report in Haaretz. In a statement titled 'Jews, Rebel!', Burg urged a mass collective action, calling for one million Jews to file against Israel at the international court. The call is presented as a form of dissent against the Israeli government's current policies and military operations in the Gaza Strip.

A group of leading Religious Zionist rabbis has formally urged Israel's Prime Minister and Cabinet to completely reconquer the Gaza Strip, according to a report in Israel National News. In a letter sent to the government, the rabbis proposed a plan that includes the full military reconquest of the territory, facilitating the 'emigration of the enemy,' and the Jewish resettlement of the area.

Broadcaster Al Jazeera announced its correspondent, Anas al-Sharif, has been killed in Gaza, and Israel has confirmed the death, according to a report in AP.

Australia is reportedly set to announce its plans for the formal recognition of a Palestinian state, a development that has drawn strong reactions, according to a report in The Guardian. Australian Labor MP Ed Husic welcomed the news, stating it should happen "the sooner the better" and noting the government has been working on the matter following a past High Court decision that brought the issue to the forefront. In contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has branded the potential move as "shameful."

Five cities in Germany have offered to accept and provide medical treatment for sick and traumatized children from the Gaza Strip, according to a report in Deutsche Welle. However, the humanitarian initiative is facing opposition from conservative-led ministries within the German federal government, which are reportedly delaying or blocking the plan's implementation.