Overview

• Israeli forces said they began preparatory operations around Gaza City and tightened the siege, with five divisions slated to join and 60,000 reservists to be called up by early September.
• Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Gaza City would be destroyed if Hamas rejects Israel’s terms, saying the group must disarm and release all hostages.
• The IPC confirmed famine in the Gaza governorate affecting more than 500,000 people and projected spread to Deir el-Balah and Khan Younès by late September, while Israel rejected the finding as biased.
• Benjamin Netanyahu ordered immediate talks on a deal to free all remaining captives after mediators advanced a 60-day truce plan that Hamas says it accepted, which includes phased hostage releases and increased aid.
• UN agencies reported intense bombardments, mass displacement and worsening conditions, as Israel said it controls about 75% of the Strip and counts 49 hostages still in Gaza, including 27 declared dead.