J Street works to promote an open, honest and rigorous conversation about Israel. The opinions reflected in articles posted in the News Roundup do not necessarily reflect J Street’s positions, and their posting does not constitute an endorsement from J Street.

Live from Chicago and against the backdrop of the Democratic National Convention, join J Street and the Forward for a conversation diving deep into the challenges facing Democrats amid the Israel-Hamas war. J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami will moderate the discussion featuring pollster Jim Gerstein, the Forward’s editor-in-chief Jodi Rudoren and a Member of Congress to be announced soon. Register here to join us on Tuesday, August 20 at 9am Pacific / 11am Central / 12pm Eastern >>

Jewish and Pro-Israel Americans Stand With Kamala Harris [Petition], J Street
Desperate Donald Trump and his crew of MAGA cheerleaders are hurling racially coded attacks on Kamala Harris as being “anti-Israel” and “antisemitic.” It’s a tired, worn-out ploy that’s all the more absurd given Harris has a proudly Jewish husband, a strong pro-Israel, pro-peace record, and a clear history of fighting antisemitism. Sign here to show your support for Vice President Harris >>

New Israeli Intelligence Suggests Iran Prepares to Attack Israel Within Days, Axios
The new intelligence assessment indicates an attack could come before the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal talks planned for Thursday, potentially jeopardizing negotiations at what Israeli officials have said is a “now-or-never” moment for a potential deal between Israel and Hamas. But one of the sources who has direct knowledge of the intelligence said the situation is “still fluid.” The assessment, which was drafted in the last 24 hours, represents a shift, the sources said.

Gazans Describe Carnage After Strike on School Turned Shelter: ‘The Dead Were All in Pieces’, The New York Times
The strike hit the prayer hall when it was filled with more than 200 people, before the call to worship had sounded at about 4:30 am, according to the Gaza Civil Defense service. The Civil Defense said the Israeli attack killed more than 90 people, including women and children.

Hamas Says It Won’t Send Delegation to Ceasefire-Hostage Talks Thursday, The Times of Israel
It has asked mediators to present a plan based upon past negotiations, instead of engaging in new talks for a deal. “The movement calls on the mediators to present a plan to implement what was agreed upon by the movement on July 2, 2024, based on Biden’s vision and the UN Security Council resolution,” Hamas says in a statement.

US Rushes Firepower to the Middle East as Israel Braces for Retaliation from Iran, NBC News
The orders, and the rare step to publicly announce the deployment of a submarine, came as Austin reaffirmed Washington’s “commitment to take every possible step to defend” its ally in a call with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, according to a readout from the Pentagon. Gallant “detailed IDF readiness and capabilities in the face of threats posed by Iran and its regional proxies, and discussed interoperability with the wide range of U.S. military capabilities deployed to the region,” his office said.

US and Other Mediators Threaten to Call Out Israel, Hamas if Gaza Hostage Talks Fail, Haaretz
A diplomatic source told Haaretz that the Biden administration – which until now has solely blamed Hamas for the talks’ deadlock – is reaching the point where Prime Minister Netanyahu’s behavior would result in the U.S. publicly accusing him of harming the talks and preventing the release of the hostages.

Civilian Killed, Another Hurt in Jordan Valley Terror Attack, The Times of Israel
Hamas on Sunday night took responsibility for the terror attack, near the Mehola Junction on Route 90, the main north-south artery in the Jordan Valley.

Israel Orders More Gaza Evacuations After School Shelter Attack Kills Scores, Reuters
Israel expanded evacuation orders in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip overnight, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinian residents and displaced families to leave in the dark as explosions from tank shelling reverberated around them.

White House ‘Deeply Concerned’ After Gaza Officials Report More Than 100 Killed in School Sheltering Thousands, NBC News
In response to the attack, the White House issued a statement Saturday, saying it was “deeply concerned” about reports of civilian casualties, and urged Israel to take measures “to minimize civilian harm.”

US Says It Won’t Halt Aid to Israeli Military Unit Accused of Abuses After Israel Took Remedial Steps, The New York Times
After spending months evaluating information provided by Israel’s government, Miller said, the department found that the unit’s violations – which occurred in the Israeli-occupied West Bank before the current war with Hamas in Gaza – had “been effectively remediated.”

Pro-Palestinian Protesters Vow Massive Showing at Democratic Convention, The Washington Post
Activists say the replacement of President Joe Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris does not affect their plans for a show of anger and dissent.

Ben Gvir Says Netanyahu Making a Serious Mistake With Hostage Deal ‘Surrender’, The Times of Israel
The far-right minster called for cutting aid to the Strip, saying it would bring Gazans “to their knees” in two weeks and give Israel “total victory” over Hamas.

Hezbollah Fires Rockets into Israel as Threat of Iran Attack Looms, CNN
About 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon, the IDF said, adding that some fell into open areas and no injuries were reported. Earlier Sunday, the IDF said its instructions to the public had not changed amid a possible military response from Iranian forces to the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.

Israeli Strikes on Schools Pose a Life-or-Death Choice for Civilians, The New York Times
Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Rawan Sheikh Ahmad report, “They could stay at the shelters, hoping for a modicum of security in the desperate conditions of Gaza. Or they can flee, knowing that the shelters themselves can become targets. The school year has been abandoned in Gaza, and tens of thousands of civilians have flocked to the compounds since the earliest days of the war, trying to build temporary lives in classrooms and corridors, or pitching makeshift tents in schoolyards. Conditions are atrocious, residents have said, but the schools, which offer walls and access to limited plumbing, are attractive for the simple reason that the alternatives are worse.”

‘I’m Not Sure Israel Is a Democratic State Any More’: Yair Golan’s Mission to Save His Country, The Guardian
Bethan McKernan writes, “Gaza, he said, is a complicated war, in which Israel did not have many options. Golan believes, like the vast majority of Israelis, that Hamas must be eliminated from the Strip, and that stronger action should be taken in Israel’s north against the powerful Lebanese militia Hezbollah. He says he understands the risk of regional war that would entail: all five of his adult children are serving as reservists. ‘Our vision is a two-state solution, but right now we are a nation in trauma. People lost their sense of security; people do not trust the IDF to protect them,’ he said.”

This New Hamas Chief Signals More War, Not Less for Gaza, Responsible Statecraft
Abdelhalim Abdelrahman and Giorgio Cafiero argue, “Ultimately, by assassinating Haniyeh, Israel decided to eliminate a moderate figure in Hamas and will now be fighting its war against Hamas with a military commander who is less compromising. Hamas’s new leadership will likely make armed resistance its top priority and see it as the only realistic path toward liberation as the group’s political and military wings become increasingly blurred.”

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