Israel Update 27.8.26 Note: published on Wednesday, earlier than usual.

GAZA

A new UNICEF-led survey using World Health Organization methodology revealed that acute child malnutrition in Gaza ranges between 0.2% and 0.8%, levels that are lower or similar to pre-war figures and significantly below those in neighbouring countries. Israeli officials cited the empirical data to refute allegations of deliberate starvation, asserting that the findings dismantle false claims and prove Israel’s war is against Hamas rather than civilians. According to the survey, obesity is also present across Gaza. click here for more

The IDF destroyed two Hamas weapons depots on Monday which were located inside mosques where Hamas had stored dozens of assault rifles and other weapons.
Before the strikes, the IDF warned Palestinians residing in the area to evacuate. click here for more

Israeli authorities say the NGO World Central Kitchen “responsibly reported a smuggling attempt detected inside humanitarian aid supplies.”
“During food preparation in their kitchen, illegal drugs were found concealed inside canned pepper packages.” click here for more

The IDF continues to facilitate massive amounts of humanitarian aid, water, and medical supplies into Gaza that exceed UN-defined needs, despite Hamas repeatedly exploiting infrastructure and aid distribution. This assistance currently supports daily entry of 600 aid trucks, four operating water pipelines, and over twenty functional hospitals and medical centre. click here for more

Israeli humanitarian organization NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief announced it will support a new medical clinic opening September 1 at the Mega Academy of the Gaza Children’s Village. Staffed by local medical personnel with remote telemedicine support, the clinic will serve up to 10,000 Gazan children by providing preventive screenings, primary care, vaccinations, and specialized rehabilitation. click here for more

Earlier this month PM Netanyahu informed the Israeli Cabinet that Israel rejects the Gaza Board of Peace’s 15-point document, maintaining that the IDF will not withdraw from Gaza without complete and genuine disarmament of all Hamas weaponry. Reaffirming that national security is non-negotiable, he emphasized that Israel is actively negotiating details with American officials while remaining prepared to stand its ground independently to protect its citizens. click here for more

Israel and the U.S. reached an understanding that, during the initial stage of Hamas’s disarmament, its weapons will be handed over to the International Stabilization Force headed by U.S. Maj.-Gen. Jasper Jeffers, for destruction, rather than to the proposed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, to prevent Hamas’s weapons from being transferred to another Palestinian authority without first being destroyed. click here for more

The IDF compiles daily reports sent to Washington documenting Hamas’s widespread violations of President Trump’s Gaza Plan, including weapon smuggling, infrastructure rebuilding, and maintaining armed police authority. On a single day in August, Israel recorded 14 distinct ceasefire breaches, highlighting the continuous operational threat Hamas poses to military forces on the ground. click here for more

IDF reservists serving in central Gaza are watching Hamas forces operate beyond the Yellow Line but are increasingly restricted from acting against them under tightened ceasefire rules. click here for more

Gazans resumed sending kites into Israel last weekend. Four kites with extra-long strings stretching for kilometres were located in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. The IDF believes that Hamas was behind the kites, and was testing Israel’s response. President Herzog visiting the area on Monday said that Israel cannot underestimate the concerns of Gaza border community residents. Prior to Oct 7, Gazan arson kites caused huge damage to forests and agriculture.

The IDF and Israel Security Agency said Hamas has been using Nasser Hospital to interrogate and torture Palestinians as it faced an “erosion of support” in Gaza.Hamas operatives maintained a regular presence in the hospital compound and its use of the medical facility created fear among patients and staff. click here for more click here for more

TARGETING GAZA TERRORISTS

In the last Update I wrote: While media reports frequently focus on Palestinian casualties in Gaza, they rarely mention that Israeli forces are specifically targeting Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and affiliated operatives who participated in the October 7 massacre.

Earlier this month Israel informed the White House that it would be willing to halt the targeted killings of Palestinian terrorists in Gaza, but would exclude those who took part in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Among those targeted recently were several Hamas commanders and operatives.click here for more click here for more

IRANIAN THREAT

Four months after the main war ended in April, the IDF reports that Iran is rapidly rebuilding its military industrial complex and producing new long-range ballistic missiles faster than anticipated. Consequently, Israel is closely monitoring these rehabilitation efforts as the potential resurgence of an existential missile threat shapes its future military strategy.click here for more

Iran’s military resilience and lethality against U.S. and its allies are significantly boosted by strategic support from Russia and China through shared satellite intelligence, drone technology, and missile components. This foreign assistance has enabled Iran to carry out highly effective drone and missile strikes, resulting in American casualties and enhancing its offensive capabilities. click here for more

TURKISH MILITARY PRESENCE IN SYRIA

Israel’s targeted strike on a northwestern Syrian military airfield last week aimed to prevent Turkey from deploying dangerous radar and air defence systems that could threaten future Israeli operations against Iran, while sending a clear warning to the Syrian President without causing casualties or directly confronting Turkish forces.click here for more click here for more click here for more

Israel’s Mossad chief and the Syrian Foreign Minister met in Jordan to to defuse tensions after Israel’s strike last week on a Syrian airbase and explore direct negotiations, even as Israel remains concerned about Turkish military activity in Syria and ongoing Hezbollah arms smuggling across the Syrian-Lebanese border. click here for more

Israel “saw the Turkish military moving at a level far further south than they were ever supposed to be,” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said. “When Israel sees a military start to build up closer and closer to them, and that the leadership of the country has said, ‘we’re going to rebuild the Ottoman Empire and take over Jerusalem,’ it takes that seriously. The Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. said that Israel had received clear intelligence that Turkey intended to significantly expand its military presence in Syria. “A red line was crossed,”click here for more click here for more

A source in western Syria said Turkey’s footprint in the region has grown significantly more pronounced… The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Turkish forces have actively fortified their footprint, surrounding bases with concrete blast walls, defensive trenches, and earthen berms.click here for more

THE WAR AGAINST HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON

After Hezbollah violated the ceasefire by wounding three Israeli soldiers with a drone attack, retaliatory IDF strikes killed senior commanders Ali Hassan and Abu Hassan Alaa, along with other operatives in southern Lebanon. The IDF and U.S. officials emphasized that civilian casualties occurred because Hassan used his family as human shields inside the military headquarters, reiterating that Israeli military action will cease once Hezbollah surrenders its weapons.click here for more click here for more

The IDF is accelerating the destruction of Hezbollah’s strategic village strongholds and opening new access routes in southern Lebanon, citing the Lebanese army’s failure to dismantle the group’s terror infrastructure.click here for more

COLOMBIA

The IDF dispatched an 80-member search and rescue delegation to Colombia following a devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake. The mission immediately began work in Cali, Colombia, searching for survivors and clearing rubble while their engineers mapped and assessed damaged buildings.

A video shows the IDF rescue of a 3 year old Columbian child. click here for more

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Footnote: Earlier this month the new Colombian government recognised Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the 2^nd country to do so after the US in 2019.click here for more

VENEZUELA

Israel and Venezuela announced that they had renewed consular relations, 17 years after diplomatic ties were severed in 2009 by then-president Chavez.
Ties have warmed since Israel sent humanitarian assistance following the recent earthquake. click here for more

THE DRUZE OF THE GOLAN

Prompted by recent atrocities against the Syrian Druze, Israel’s protective intervention, and tragic local events like the 2024 Hezbollah rocket attack which killed 12 children, Golan Heights Druze residents are applying for Israeli citizenship in record numbers, with 44% now holding citizenship. in 2024, 572 residents from four Druze towns applied, 3,750 in 2025 and 1,444 In the first half of 2026. This dramatic shift marks a turning point in the community’s geopolitical alignment, transitioning away from decades of loyalty to the Syrian regime toward full integration into Israeli society.click here for more (paywall)

MEDICAL INNOVATION

Surgeons at Hadassah Medical Centre in Jerusalem have achieved a world first by successfully using Alpha DaRT—a novel, highly targeted alpha-emitting radiation therapy—to treat a patient with recurrent glioblastoma while minimizing damage to healthy brain tissue. click here for more

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIAD in INFORMATICS

Israeli high school student Yotam Budnik was disqualified and stripped of his official ranking at the International Olympiad in Informatics in Uzbekistan after defying competition restrictions by displaying an Israeli flag on stage during the medal ceremony. Despite being asked to return his gold medal, Budnik refused to surrender it. The Israeli delegation that competed in the IOI this year won a total of three gold medals and one bronze medal. Last month, Budnik won gold at the IOI in Shanghai while proudly representing Israel click here for more

FOOD-TECH

Hebrew University scientists have successfully engineered a plant to produce the milk protein beta-casein, advancing efforts to industrially cultivate plant-based dairy with real cheese-melting properties. click here for more

DEFENCE

Serbia plans to open a manufacturing plant with Israeli defence company Elbit Systems in mid-September to jointly produce drones to modernize its defences and bolster exports of unmanned systems and military equipment. click here for more

MEDICAL RESEARCH

A landmark Bar-Ilan University study published in Nature Human Behaviour revealed that 90% of people who consciously focused their attention on an inflamed body part recovered faster, demonstrating for the first time that directed focus can actively reduce acute biological inflammation in real time. click here for more

SHEBA MEDICAL CENTRE UPDATE

Sheba Global’s humanitarian ophthalmology teams have provided critical eye care across Kenya, Honduras, and Rwanda, performing specialized retina treatments, cataract surgeries, and paediatric oculoplastic procedures for underserved communities. Beyond delivering direct medical treatments, these missions focus on training local healthcare teams and building long-term surgical capacity in each region.click here for more

THE UK

PM Andy Burnham is poised to announce a complete ban on trade on goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank… But Labour Friends of Israel has warned that it would not be possible to ban trade of goods from settlements only, and that such a move would be a “de facto boycott of all of Israel.” Click here for more

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband criticized Israel’s tender for 1,200 homes in the E1 area near Jerusalem as a threat to a two-state solution, prompting a sharp rejection from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. Sa’ar dismissed the remarks as patronizing, defended Israel’s historic and legal rights to the land while calling out British colonial history, and warned that the UK’s policy fuels antisemitism and damages bilateral relations. click here for more click here for more

And see : Understanding Israeli Interests in the E1 Area : Contiguity, Security and Jerusalem. click here for more

SPORT

A few Israel-related items:

At the August 2026 European Championships, Israeli athletes claimed 2 medals.

Gold: The Men’s Marathon Team (combined time of 6:28:37, finishing ahead of Germany and France)

Bronze: Gashau Ayale (Men’s Individual Marathon, finishing in 2:09:21) click here for more

Israeli gymnast Artem Dolgopyat won the gold medal for his floor exercise at the European Gymnastics Championships in Croatia, marking his third European championship title. click here for more

Israeli footballer Anan Khalaili signed with Premier League team Crystal Palace, becoming Israel’s most expensive player. click here for more

After completing a move to West Ham, Manor Solomon scored on his debut game. click here for more

La Masia midfielder Orian Goren recently made his unofficial first-team debut for FC Barcelona during a pre-season club friendly against Birmingham City. The 17-year-old Israeli midfielder was included in Barcelona’s pre-season squad following an impressive development trajectory through the club’s youth setup, leading to subsequent friendly appearances later in August. click here for more

COMMENT & OPINION

Gaza

Gary Cohen: For almost three years, we have been told that Israel is starving the children of Gaza as a weapon of war. We’ve been fed terrible images of emaciated children. Only it’s a lie.
A UNICEF-coordinated survey conducted in mid-2026 found that acute child malnutrition in Gaza averaged 0.5%, placing it in the lowest official category of “Acceptable.” According to these UN figures, Gaza’s malnutrition rates are notably lower than those of many neighbouring Middle Eastern countries, directly contradicting claims of deliberate starvation as a weapon of war. Consequently, the stark contrast between these data points and international public outrage points to a significant distortion of the reality on the ground. click here for more

David Horovitz: Hamas is manifestly playing the U.S. and playing for time. It is recruiting, training, and awaiting a more anti-Israel American administration. It is awaiting a resumption of funding from the Iranian regime. Hamas is actively exploiting peace efforts by rebuilding its military capacity, (producing hundreds of explosive devices and anti-tank missiles every month) exploiting civilian aid, and preserving its administrative influence under prospective governance models. Securing lasting change in Gaza requires total Hamas disarmament, persistent targeted operations, and strict control over aid distribution to starve the group of funding and authority. click here for more

Khaled Abu Toameh: A reported proposal by Gaza’s Board of Peace to pay Palestinian terrorists thousands of dollars to surrender weapons and renounce violence is deeply flawed because jihadist groups prioritize ideological destruction of Israel over financial gain. Past rejections of multi-billion-dollar aid packages demonstrate that financial incentives will not moderate extremists who remain committed to armed conflict. click here for more

Khaled Abu Toameh: The foreign ministers of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt accused Israel of violating international law while ignoring Hamas’s refusal to disarm and its role in instigating the war, demonstrating a double standard in international accountability. True peace requires the international community and regional governments to confront armed jihadist groups rather than defaulting to anti-Israel rhetoric and unviable statehood proposals.click here for more

Stephen Pollard: Israeli leaders across the political spectrum refuse to base any peace deal on trust in Hamas, insisting instead on complete, verified disarmament before any troop withdrawal. Because the Board of Peace plan relies on U.S.-led verification rather than trust, Netanyahu’s firm stance aligns with the proposal rather than obstructing it. click here for more (paywall)

Meir Ben Shabbat: Israelis today doubt the ability of diplomatic agreements to prevent Hamas from rearming and rebuilding its military strength…Diplomatic deals are seen as nothing more than a lifeline for the enemy’s survival, temporary arrangements that allow Hamas and Hizbullah to rebuild their fighting forces in preparation for the next confrontation with Israel. click here for more

Christians in Israel

Amb George Deek: I am Christian, Arab and Israeli and serve as Israel’s special envoy to the Christian World. (I) reject claims that Christians are under siege in Israel. Isolated extremist incidents do not define the nation’s character. Christians are physicians and hospital directors, academics and businesspeople, mayors, police officers, soldiers and diplomats. Christians are flourishing – In 1950, Israel was home to 34,000 Christians. Today there are 184,000, and the community continues to grow. click here for more

« Palestinian State »

Michael Freund: A Palestinian state under present conditions would be a gamble with millions of Israeli lives. After Oct. 7, why should Israel be expected to ignore every lesson of the past and take the same risk again? click here for more

Palestinian Authority (PA)

David M. Weinberg: The P.A. is systematically erasing Jewish national heritage in Judea and Samaria by destroying antiquities and petitioning UNESCO to rebrand Jewish historical sites as Palestinian or Islamic. UNESCO has supported these efforts by designating significant biblical and ancient Jewish locations—Sebastia and the Cave of the Patriarchs—as Palestinian heritage sites, while considering dozens more despite their documented Israeli and Jewish connections. click here for more

Palestinian Rejectionism

David Harris: International bodies should stop subsidizing dysfunctional Palestinian leadership that perpetuates a politics of victimhood, promotes hostility toward Israel and instead insist on leaders dedicated to peace, coexistence, and responsible nation-building. click here for more (paywall)

Saurav Dutt: Economic improvement and aid alone cannot resolve the conflict, as true peace requires political acceptance of Israel’s legitimacy rather than ideological rejection and violence. If poverty were the decisive cause of Palestinian violence, decades of aid, economic initiatives, employment inside Israel, and diplomatic engagement should have produced a consistent decline in hostility. They have not. click here for more

James Delmore, Walter E Block : The strategy of perpetual resistance has produced perpetual suffering. What if Palestinian leaders choose prosperity instead? click here for more