Israel News for 8-25-2025
At least 19 people were reportedly killed Monday in an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, according to Palestinian reports. The hospital was being used by Hamas terrorists. The IDF Chief of Staff has ordered an investigation. Hamas claims that several journalists working for Reuters were killed in the strike. The IDF reiterated that it does not target civilians or journalists, and goes to great effort to avoid civilian casualties.
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said conditions are in place for a hostage release, but Prime Minister Netanyahu has delayed sending a delegation for talks in Doha or Cairo, insisting military pressure must continue. Hamas recently submitted a scaled-back proposal, but Netanyahu has rejected any partial deal. Families of hostages protested outside government offices, and a major protest is planned for tomorrow. In Gaza City, Hamas is reinforcing its underground network ahead of an expected IDF assault. Residents described collapsing infrastructure, sewage flooding, and rampant looting.
Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer visited Abu Dhabi to brief officials on Israel’s planned Gaza City offensive. President Mohammed bin Zayed declined to meet him. Emirati officials expressed frustration with the war and settlement expansion but stressed continued back-channel coordination. One UAE source told reporters, “We will not sever security dialogue, but politically, Israel has made it very difficult for us to stand by them.”
Yesterday, Israeli fighters struck Sa’ana, Yemen in response to a Houthi ballistic missile attack over the weekend. The missile had a cluster warhead, which can potential cause much greater damage than an ordinary one. Houthi rebels say at least 4 people were killed and 67 wounded in the raid. The targets included a military compound that houses the presidential palace, two power plants, and a fuel storage site.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Syria is in “advanced negotiations” with Israel on a security agreement, stressing it must be based on the 1974 ceasefire lines. His comments came as U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack pushed for a broader framework to reduce Hezbollah’s arsenal and ease regional tensions. Israeli officials dismissed much of the plan, but sources said some elements were left under review. For more, click here.
The IDF uprooted thousands of olive trees near the village of Al-Mughayyir, near Ramallah, after a shooting attack there killed an Israeli soldier. The army said the move was needed to expose terrorist hiding places, while rights groups condemned it as collective punishment. Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth said, “We cannot allow terrorists to hide behind trees while targeting our soldiers and civilians.”
Seven Palestinians from the Nablus area were arrested in Tel Aviv on suspicion of plotting a terror attack. Acting on a Shin Bet alert, police conducted hours of searches near the promenade before capturing the suspects, who were in Israel illegally. Police described the arrests as “a precise and urgent operation that prevented an attack in the heart of Tel Aviv.”
