Conflict & Security
Israel army chief says Gaza operations will continue
Israel's army chief said the military would continue to “operate proactively” in Gaza, as Israel disputed parts of a US-backed plan that includes Hamas disarming and an Israeli withdrawal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has not agreed to the plan. In a video posted to his social media accounts on August 4, Netanyahu said US President Donald Trump's team believed it could secure the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarisation of Gaza. He said the team had sent Israel a draft, but Israel had not agreed to it and had sent comments.
Speaking at an event on August 5, Netanyahu called Trump one of Israel's greatest friends in the White House, but added: “Israel's existence is not subject to negotiation.”
The roadmap, published last week by Trump's Board of Peace, includes provisions for Hamas to hand over its weapons and for an Israeli withdrawal. After Israel raised objections, the Board of Peace met Netanyahu on August 3 and assured him that Israeli forces would only have to leave their current positions after Hamas's “complete” disarmament.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said on August 5 that the group remained committed to what was agreed with mediators and the Board of Peace. Hamas called on the Trump administration and Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza, to pressure Israel to abide by the agreement.
Pressure has also grown on Netanyahu from the right flank of his ruling coalition. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlement Minister Orit Strook requested a new vote to reject the plan, saying it did not reflect what the cabinet approved.
Israeli media reported that troops had been instructed to seek authorisation from the army chief for strikes in Gaza unless they were in immediate danger. Israel's military had referred questions to the political leadership, and a spokesperson for Netanyahu declined to comment.
Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed 1,221 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Militants also took 251 hostages to Gaza. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the territory's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.
Update
Israel's army chief said the military will continue to “operate proactively” in Gaza.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 17:05:29 UTC.
Update
Netanyahu said on August 5 that Trump was one of Israel's greatest friends in the White House, while adding that Israel's existence was not subject to negotiation.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem reiterated the group's commitment to what was agreed with mediators and the Board of Peace.
Hamas called on the Trump administration and Nickolay Mladenov to pressure Israel to abide by the agreement.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 16:42:41 UTC.
Update
Netanyahu said the US side sent Israel a draft, Israel did not agree to it, and Israel sent comments.
Israel's security cabinet had already voted in favour of the proposal, which includes international peacekeeping troops in Gaza.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlement Minister Orit Strook requested a new vote on the plan.
Israeli media reported the security cabinet meeting was postponed to Thursday, August 6.
Haaretz and other Israeli media reported Israeli troops had been instructed to seek chief-of-staff authorisation for strikes unless in immediate danger.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 09:52:28 UTC.
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Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had not agreed to a US-backed plan for Gaza.
Netanyahu said US President Donald Trump's team had sent Israel a draft and Israel had sent comments.
Netanyahu said Trump's team believed it could bring about Hamas's disarmament and Gaza's demilitarisation, and that Israel was checking this.
Netanyahu met the US-backed Board of Peace on Monday and received guarantees that the Israeli army would only leave its current positions in Gaza after Hamas disarms.
Pressure has been growing on Netanyahu from far-right coalition partners to reject the deal.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 05:59:48 UTC.
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Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said full responsibility for obstructing the agreement lies with Israel.
Al Ansari said increased Israeli strikes in Gaza were an attempt to derail the plan and block peaceful solutions.
The statement followed US President Donald Trump's comment that Hamas had agreed to disarm, while Israel refuses to leave Gaza.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 August 2026 at 11:11:07 UTC.
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Qatar blamed Israel for delayed implementation of a Gaza peace plan.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 August 2026 at 10:48:50 UTC.
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Qatar, Egypt and Turkey are mediating the Gaza truce.
The condemnation followed renewed strikes in Gaza that AFP reported had killed more than 20 people.
The three countries specifically criticised the targeting of health facilities and infrastructure and civilian casualties, including women and children.
They described the situation as a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
Source note: AFP news report published on 3 August 2026 at 20:54:11 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The supplied material does not name the Israeli army chief in the new statement.
It is not clear from the supplied material how the army chief's comment affects the disputed US-backed Gaza plan.
Source
AFP news report published on .