Trump, Netanyahu Discuss Plans to Target Remaining Hamas Strongholds in Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke Sunday about Israel’s strategy to eliminate the last Hamas strongholds in Gaza, according to an Israeli government statement. The goal, Netanyahu’s office said, is to end the war, free remaining hostages, and fully dismantle Hamas’s control.
During the call, Netanyahu expressed gratitude for Trump’s “steadfast support of Israel” since the war began on Oct. 7. The White House has not yet released its own account of the conversation.
Earlier that day, Netanyahu told foreign journalists that Hamas still has “thousands of armed terrorists” in Gaza, continuing to declare its intent to destroy Israel and repeat the Oct. 7 massacre. He accused Hamas of oppressing Gazans, stealing their food, and even shooting civilians who attempt to flee to safe zones.
“Many Gazans are now asking the world to free them from Hamas,” Netanyahu said, adding that no nation could tolerate a terrorist group dedicated to its annihilation operating so close to its citizens.
He stressed that Israel does not seek to occupy Gaza, but to remove Hamas’s grip on it. The war, he said, could end immediately if Hamas surrendered its weapons and released the hostages. His vision for Gaza includes demilitarization, Israeli security oversight, a security buffer on the Israel-Gaza border, and the creation of a civilian administration committed to peaceful coexistence.
Australia to Recognize Palestinian State at UN in September
Australia will formally recognize a Palestinian state during September’s U.N. General Assembly debate, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday.
Speaking in Canberra, Albanese said Australia supports the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and will work internationally to make it a reality. He argued that a two-state solution offers “the best hope” for ending the violence in the Middle East and easing suffering in Gaza.
According to Albanese, the Palestinian Authority assured Canberra that Hamas would have no role in any future Palestinian state.
The move follows similar steps by the U.K., France, and Canada—actions that Hamas has publicly welcomed as a result of its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Netanyahu condemned Australia’s decision, saying Palestinian leaders are focused on destroying Israel, not building their own state. He accused both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority of seeking Israel’s destruction—one through violence, the other through diplomatic means at the U.N. and international courts.
Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, criticized Canberra for “rewarding” Hamas and weakening efforts for genuine peace, noting that the Albanese government dropped previous conditions for recognition, such as renouncing violence and freeing hostages.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said his country is also considering recognition, calling it a matter of “when, not if,” though acknowledging the complexity of the issue.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas collapsed after France announced its recognition, saying Hamas saw the move as an incentive to avoid a ceasefire.
Holocaust Survivor Dies Weeks After Being Wounded in Iranian Missile Attack
Olga Weisberg, a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor from Rehovot, died Saturday, just weeks after being severely wounded in an Iranian missile strike during June’s 12-day conflict.
Local news reported that Weisberg underwent multiple surgeries following the June 15 attack and had recently been released from the hospital to continue recovering at a hotel. Her condition suddenly worsened on Saturday, leading to her death.
She is survived by her husband, also a Holocaust survivor, along with a daughter, grandson, and great-grandson. Her funeral took place Sunday at Rehovot’s New Cemetery.
The June missile strike on Rehovot has claimed several lives in recent weeks, including an 85-year-old man who died on July 28 and Leah Mosquera, a Filipino caregiver, who succumbed to her injuries on July 13—just days before her 50th birthday.
Iran’s missile barrage in June killed 31 people in Israel, wounded over 3,000, and forced more than 13,000 residents from their homes.
