Israel's finance minister advances with the building of new settlements
The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to escalate, with recent developments in Gaza causing a deepening humanitarian crisis. The UN has condemned Israel's restrictive aid distribution as violating humanitarian principles.
In the past few weeks, the Israeli army has reportedly killed dozens of people in Gaza, according to Palestinian reports. Five more were killed while waiting for humanitarian aid south of Wadi Gaza in the central Strip, bringing the total death toll to over 61,700 since the war began in October 2023.
The city of Gaza in the north of the Gaza Strip has been particularly affected, with half of the fatalities occurring there. Repeated reports of deadly incidents near distribution points for humanitarian aid operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) have added to the crisis. Seven people were killed at a humanitarian aid distribution point northwest of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently claimed that there is no hunger in Gaza, a statement that contradicts the dire situation on the ground. Over 13,590 have also been injured. Since the end of May, 1,859 people have been killed while trying to access aid in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army chief, Zamir, has approved the deployment plans for a war expansion decided by Netanyahu's security cabinet. The plan includes the capture of the city of Gaza and the destruction of Hamas in the central refugee camps. The Israeli army spokesperson was not aware of any casualties caused by army fire in the Netzarim corridor area in central Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israel's right-wing finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, plans to approve tenders for the construction of around 3,400 additional settler homes in the West Bank. This move is seen as a further obstacle to a peaceful solution, as the UN considers the Israeli settlements a major obstacle to a peaceful solution because they would leave hardly any contiguous territory for the Palestinians in a possible two-state solution.
The Palestinians claim the territories for their own state with East Jerusalem as the capital. The current Israeli government, led by Netanyahu and its most right-wing cabinet in history, has announced plans to mobilize 60,000 reservists for a major operation to take control of Gaza City, representing a significant escalation.
Diplomatic efforts continue amid these tensions. A United Nations high-level conference in July 2025 called for collective action to end the Gaza war and reaffirmed commitment to a two-State solution based on pre-1967 borders, condemning violations of international law by both sides. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned the conflict is at a "breaking point," cautioning it risks devolving into a one-State reality of ongoing occupation and inequality unless the two-State solution is urgently implemented.
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- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, characterized by recent escalations and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, has gained significant attention in the realm of general news, war-and-conflicts, and politics.
- The Israeli army's actions, such as the restriction of aid distribution and alleged killing of civilians seeking humanitarian assistance, have been criticized by international bodies, including the UN, and raise questions about crime-and-justice issues.
- The financial implications of the ongoing conflict are also noteworthy, with Israel's right-wing finance minister planning the construction of settlements in the West Bank, a move that further complicates peace negotiations and is viewed as a violation of international law by the UN.
