War Summary, Day 680: Netanyahu repeats that he won’t accept a “partial deal”, controversial day of demonstrations and strikes for hostages begins on Sunday, 9.5 kilometers of tunnels destroyed in Beit Hanoun, IDF lives in northern Gaza risked over humanitarian aid hijackings, UNRWA lies about involvement in aid, Doctors Without Borders in Gaza left GHF aid workers to die, Houthis really struggling lately to get any sirens going, and IDF destroys Hezbollah tunnels in southern Lebanon.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

50 held captive in Gaza.
28 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
148 living hostages rescued.
57 hostage bodies rescued.
1,916 Israelis killed.
459 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
88 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
18 fallen soldiers and police in Judea & Samaria.
32,368 estimated projectiles fired at Israel.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

– Updated Witkoff outline proposes government change in first phase of deal
– Netanyahu repeats that he won’t accept a “partial deal”
– Controversial day of demonstrations and strikes for hostages begins on Sunday
– Zamir’s concerns over Gaza City plan
– 9.5 kilometers of tunnels destroyed in Beit Hanoun
– Advancement in Zeitoun
– IDF lives in northern Gaza risked over humanitarian aid hijackings
– Clashes between Hamas and Gaza family, at Hamas hospital
– Humanitarian aid floods Gaza; Hamas continues to steal it
– UNRWA lies about involvement in aid
– 100 organizations complain, but won’t follow IDF safety process
– Doctors Without Borders in Gaza left GHF aid workers to die
– Houthis really struggling lately to get any sirens going
– IDF destroys Hezbollah tunnels in southern Lebanon

Hostages:

Israel Hayom reports that Hamas is interested in a hostage deal to prevent Israel from taking over Gaza City. They report that the U.S. and Egypt are working on a newly adjusted proposal to bridge Israel and Hamas demands.

The new proposal begins with the same Witkoff outline, in which only half of the hostages are released during a 60-day temporary ceasefire, in exchange for the release of terrorists from Israeli prison, IDF withdrawal from some areas of Gaza, and more “humanitarian aid.” During the 60-day ceasefire, negotiations take place for a permanent ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages.

The innovation in the new proposal: Already during the 60-day ceasefire, a new civilian government with international backing begins to take control in Gaza, while Hamas begins to cede civilian control. This is supposed to ensure that in a permanent ceasefire, Hamas disarms and leaves control of Gaza.

There is all around significant skepticism that this proposal will go anywhere with Hamas.

Reminder: Hamas has insisted that they will never disarm, and demands that Israel agree to a permanent ceasefire with international guarantees. Israel won’t agree to any ceasefire that leaves Hamas in control and able to attack Israel again.

Some government ministers raised concerns that Netanyahu might agree to a “partial deal” in which only half of the hostages are released and Hamas survives. In response, the Prime Minister’s Office released a statement:

“We are reaching an agreement on the condition of releasing all the hostages in one fell swoop and in accordance with our conditions for ending the war, which include disarming Hamas, demilitarizing the Strip, Israel’s security control over the Strip, and bringing in a government entity that is not Hamas and not the Palestinian Authority, that will live in peace with Israel.”

***

Demonstrations and strikes are planned across Israel on Sunday, in a call for the return of the hostages. Since some of the organizers say that the protests are also calling for an end to the war, many are not taking part in the protests.

There are concerns that such protests only tell Hamas to strengthen their position, since Israel appears tired and desperate.

Gaza:

Thank G-d, no fallen heroes!

Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir approved general plans for the capture of Gaza City. On Sunday, he is expected to review and approve detailed plans, and then present them to Defense Minister Israel Katz.

There have been public hints of disagreement between the government and Zamir over the plans for Gaza City. Many are misinterpreting it as Zamir being against the continuation of the war and defeat of Hamas–but Zamir is one who always supported the total defeat of Hamas. The reality (as explained by Amit Segal) is that Zamir prefers a slower method that has a lower risk to the soldiers in his command.

Zamir’s first choice, was a plan that surrounds and squeezes Hamas out, rather than entering and capturing Gaza City. But if Israel does have to go into Gaza City, Zamir wants the slow and steady route done in Operation Gideon’s Chariot. In this method, the soldiers moved cautiously, and destroyed every building used by Hamas before moving on. In the quick 2 month method which the government is requesting, Zamir is concerned that more soldiers could be lost, and Hamas won’t fully be crushed. He is also concerned that more reservists will need to be called up—and the reservists are already overworked.

The main reason Netanyahu has given for a quick operation, is that the hostages don’t have much time left to wait. The unsaid part: The world is losing patience for this war, and Netanyahu doesn’t want to lose U.S. President Trump’s support as the war drags on.

**
The IDF has begun to reveal information about the crazy amount of tunnels found in Beit Hanoun. Over the last four weeks, combat engineering forces worked to destroy around 9.5 kilometers (nearly 6 miles) of tunnel.

One 7 kilometer tunnel (!!) was sealed using 20,000 cubic meters of sealing materials. Another 2.5 kilometers worth of tunnel was destroyed with explosives.

**

Last week, the 99th Division began operating in Zeitoun, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Gaza City. It seems that they have reached the strategic Salah al-Din road, in the Shejaya neighborhood.

As usual, they’ve been eliminating terrorists, destroying buildings which were booby-trapped by Hamas or storing Hamas weapons, destroying tunnels, and digging enemy fire.

Division 162 is operating in several areas in north and central Gaza.

Division 36 is continuing operations in Khan Younis, focused on destroying Hamas capabilities around the ”Magen Oz” corridor.

During recent operations, the troops found a building storing Hamas rockets intended for launching at Israeli civilians. An airstrike was called, and promptly destroyed it all.

The IDF confirmed that on August 9, Nasser Musa was eliminated. Musa was a key terrorist in Hamas’s Rafah Brigade, and head of Hamas’s military control department in Khan Younis.

The Gaza Division (143) is also working in southern Gaza, mostly focused on destroying Hamas infrastructure, and also eliminating terrorists.

**

Severe concerns have been raised for the safety of the soldiers of Division 99 who are stationed in a coastal outpost in Northern Gaza. The issue began a few weeks ago, when the IDF began importing humanitarian aid through the Zikim crossing, in northernmost Gaza.

At first, Gazan civilians would loot the aid, and it would not reach Hamas, which the IDF saw as a net positive. In the last week, armed Hamas terrorists dressed in civilian clothing began to chase off the civilians, and take the aid themselves. In the first instance of this happening, the IDF troops fired at the Hamas terrorists and eliminated them. But in following events, the division commander told the soldiers to turn a blind eye.

However, the hijackings are happening increasingly close to the IDF outpost, with armed terrorists mingling between civilians, and the troops are told to withhold fire. In an effort to give a positive impression to the world, the division commander is putting the soldiers lives at a severe risk.

**

In Gaza City, violent clashes broke out between Hamas and a Gazan family, after Hamas executed a member of the family. The family began to attack the Maamadani hospital, which Hamas turned into a command center. When Hamas brought more armed terrorists to defend their command center in the hospital, an IDF drone flew in and eliminated several of the terrorists. This is ongoing.

Humanitarian Aid:

Humanitarian aid continues to pour into Gaza at unprecedented levels.

On August 14th:

– Over 310 humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings.
– Over 290 trucks were collected and distributed by the UN and international organizations.
– An unspecified number of tankers of UN fuel entered for the operation of “essential humanitarian systems.”
– 19 pallets of aid were airdropped in cooperation with Jordan, the UAE, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and France.

Over 85% of the trucks of aid imported by the UN are hijacked by Hamas everyday.

In addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has been distributing between 1.5 million to 2 million meals per day, with a total of 125 meals distributed to date. Hamas is not able to hijack or profit off GHF aid.

The IDF’s COGAT Division announced that on Sunday they will begin to supply tents and shelter equipment to Gaza, to encourage the population to evacuate from combat zones, and move to southern Gaza.

**

UNRWA has taken to spreading outright lies on social media and news networks all die. In the most recent, UNRWA wrote on X (Twitter) that:

“We have been delivering 500 to 600 trucks of aid in Gaza consistently, every day during the ceasefire. And that’s why we were able to collectively avoid famine.”

COGAT says that of the 25,200 trucks that entered during the hostage release deal, UNRWA sent in 0. Actually.

UNRWA hasn’t sent any aid in a while, and doesn’t know anything about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, because they are not at all involved anymore. Israel cut the out, because UNRWA employed too many Hamas terrorists. Now UNRWA spends their time spreading nonsense to gain donations and demonize Israel.

**

Over 100 international organizations produced a joint statement, in which they claim that Israel is blocking most of them from bringing aid into Gaza. They claim to have millions of dollars’ worth of humanitarian aid now stuck in warehouses outside the Gaza Strip.

But COGAT says that they’re not telling the full story. The organizations were denied because they refuse to complete the registration process—specifically the part where they disclose the details of their employees inside Gaza, so that Israel can ensure that none of them are terrorists.

Meanwhile, an average of 300 trucks per day enter Gaza, from organizations (mainly countries) who follow the proper procedures.

**

While popular social media account, “Humans of New York” runs a glorifying feature on the Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, Chapin Fay of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) shared a not-so-impressive story about them.

Around a month ago, Hamas terrorized a busload of Gazan civilians who were volunteering at the GHF. Hamas killed several of them, and severely injured the remainders.

When the 20 survivors arrived at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, the Doctors Without Borders working at the hospital refused to treat them—or even allow them in the hospital. Instead, they left them to die in the courtyard.

Doctors Without Borders also has a history of employing Hamas terrorists, including Fadi al-Wadiya, who was a Hamas rocket developer for fifteen years until he was eliminated by the IDF in June 2024.

**

In response to questions about Abu Shabab’s Hamas-free neighborhood in Eastern Rafah:

Abu Shabab leads the Popular Forces in Gaza. He is a leader from a Bedouin clan which lived in eastern Rafah for a few generations. In recent months, the IDF gave him control of his family’s neighborhood, which has already been cleared of Hamas.

Abu Shabab’s Popular Forces keep Hamas out, with help from the IDF who have cleared Hamas out of the entire extended area.

It’s unclear how many civilians have moved into the neighborhood, but reports emerge that life has returned to normal for those who did. They have ample food, water, and shelter, and the IDF prioritizes delivering aid and merchandise to them. Schools have reopened, and remarkably, the children are learning about tolerance.

Abu Shabab welcomes all non-Hamas non-terrorist Gaza civilians to join their war-free zone, but few do so. In Gaza, Bedouins are looked down upon as inferior class, and so many Gaza Arabs may feel it below their dignity to turn to a Bedouin for security.

Abu Shabab does not speak about peace with Israel, and makes sure to say that he only works with Israel out of necessity. Time will tell if he says this only for security and to gain public trust, or if there is any hope of his clan actually working for peace with Israel.

Iran:

Last week I reported that Netanyahu noted to media that the 400 kg of enriched uranium in Iran has not been damaged. Some asked why this isn’t bigger news.

This has long been a known fact, already immediately after the war, Netanyahu said that Israel did not destroy it, so as not to cause an ecological disaster. Instead, Israel chose to destroy all of Iran’s facilities and capabilities, so that they can’t do anything with it. Israel is also closely monitoring the whereabouts of the uranium.

As of now, Iran isn’t able to do a thing with the uranium. There are new concerns that China may be in talks with Iran to help them rebuild nuclear facilities. As to be expected, China denies this.

Yemen:

On Thursday, Israel’s Air Force intercepted one missile launched by the Houthis in Yemen. No sirens were activated in Israel.

It’s been more than a week without any sirens due to the Houthis—not for their lack of effort, but for quite a few failures.

Lebanon:

On Thursday and Friday the Air Force carried out a series of airstrikes to destroy Hezbollah terror infrastructures in southern Lebanon, including underground tunnels and bunkers. Israeli intelligence had collected evidence that Hezbollah was active in these locations, in violation of the ceasefire agreement.