August 26, 2025: Stalling Ceasefire Talks, Israeli Offensive in Gaza City, Famine Declared, Nasser Hospital Strike

This week was marked by stalling ceasefire talks, an intensifying Israeli assault on Gaza City, an official declaration of famine and various highly controversial Israeli military actions that many agree to be war crimes.

Last week, Hamas accepted the latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza brought forth by Qatari and Egyptian mediators. The proposal is similar to the one that fell apart in July, stipulating that Hamas releases ten living hostages and eighteen deceased hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners (including women and children) and a sixty-day truce, during which follow-up negotiations would take place. Despite the fact that Netanyahu claims he is “immediately” starting ceasefire and hostage release negotiations, Israel has not responded to the deal. Netanyahu is now rejecting deals that release the hostages in phases, instead demanding for a comprehensive hostage release and an end to the war “on terms acceptable to Israel.” The stalling of yet another ceasefire agreement has triggered hundreds of thousands of Israelis to protest their government for what they — and many others — perceive as an effort to prolong the war and preserve political power.

This explanation is very likely, evidenced by Israel’s recent aggressive assault on Gaza City. In the last week, Israel has pushed even deeper into the city, blowing up buildings and destroying infrastructure. Israel’s plans to seize Gaza City are stoking widespread fear in its residents for yet another mass evacuation by the Israeli government.

Meanwhile, famine has been officially declared in Gaza City and surrounding areas, as confirmed by Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. The determination prompted criticism from the Israeli government and its defenders, who argued that the IPC used lower standards to determine famine in Gaza than in other areas. One of the three components of famine is the percentage of children 6 months to 5 years old suffering from malnutrition. This percentage can either be 30%, based on a weight-to-height measurement, or 15%, based on the circumference of their upper arm. The criticism was mostly directed at the IPC’s decision to use the latter lower standard. However, it should be noted that Israel’s limits on international access to Gaza created a lack of sufficient data to make the weight-to-height assessment, causing the IPC to rely on arm circumference instead.

Also in Gaza, multiple controversial Israeli attacks, widely considered war crimes, have occurred. On Monday, Israel struck Southern Gaza’s Nasser hospital, killing 22 people, including 5 journalists who worked for Reuters, Associated Press and Al Jazeera. The IDF then bombed the hospital a second time, as rescue workers arrived, resulting in more damage. In a rare moment, Israel acknowledged the strike and Netenyahu expressed regret for the “tragic mishap.” However, Israel also justified the strike by claiming, without any evidence, that the hospital was the site of a Hamas camera being used to surveil the IDF. The strike comes two weeks after Israel’s killing of Gazan Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, who Israel also claimed was part of Hamas. These recent events have prompted even more international outcry against Israel and its actions.