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.

Our DNC Impact, J Street
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “As J Streeters leave the Democratic National Convention fired up and ready to go, it’s clear we’re having a greater impact than ever. The Vice President’s remarks on Israel-Palestine were perhaps the clearest articulation of J Street’s values from a presidential nominee – and received roaring applause. […] Our message: The mainstream Jewish community is firmly behind Democrats this November – and we want to see a fresh, stronger focus on ending the suffering in Gaza, freeing the hostages and securing long-term freedom and safety for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

After Attacks, Israel and Hezbollah Swiftly Move to Talk of Containment, The New York Times
The events on Sunday have raised the stakes for negotiators gathering in Cairo to try to advance a cease-fire and hostage-release deal for the ongoing war in Gaza. The United States is leading the push, along with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, for a deal that would end the 10-month conflict between Israel and Hamas, in the hope that such an agreement could help calm tensions in the region.

Israel and Hezbollah Both Claim Victory After Night of Heavy Fighting, Axios
Israel said it hit dozens of targets in Lebanon on Sunday morning local time in a preemptive strike ahead of what Israeli and U.S. intelligence said was expected to be a major missile and drone attack on Israel by Hezbollah. Both Israel and Hezbollah tried to present their strikes on Sunday as a major success. The exchange of blows, which U.S. and Israeli officials feared could ignite a much larger crisis in the region, appears contained for now, officials said.

Israeli Strikes in Gaza Kill Dozens as Preparations for High-Level Cease-Fire Talks Move Forward, CBS News
The hospital received a total of 33 dead who were killed in three separate strikes in and around Khan Younis. The city’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said it had received another three bodies from an early Saturday strike.

Israel, Hezbollah Trade Confirmation That They Don’t Want Further Escalation, Diplomats Say, The Times of Israel
The main message was that both sides considered Sunday’s intense exchange of bombardment to be “done” and that neither side wants a full-scale war, one diplomat says. The diplomats speak on condition of anonymity.

US Insists Gaza Cease-Fire Deal Is Close but Diplomats Are Skeptical, The Washington Post
When asked about the contradiction, Blinken said he “can’t speak to” Netanyahu’s public comments. “I can just speak to what I heard from him directly,” Blinken said, noting that the prime minister signed off on a “detailed plan” that includes a “very clear schedule and locations for withdrawals” of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Trying to Head Off War, US Moves Naval Forces Closer to Israel, The New York Times
With fears rising that a wider war could break out in the Middle East, the US has steadily been moving Navy forces closer to the area, including two aircraft carrier groups and a guided-missile submarine. And it has not been shy about announcing the details, in a clear effort to deter Iran and its allies from more intense attacks on Israel.

Israeli Ambassador Says US Posture in Middle East Played Role in ‘Deterring’ Iran, The Hill
“I think the Iranians are contemplating an attack on Israel, but decided for now to put it on hold,” Herzog said. “And I think the main reason for that was, deter messages from Israel and the U.S., and a very strong U.S. posture in the region, which tells you that you can deter them.”

‘They Told Me to Strip.’ Former Palestinian Detainee Says He Was Sexually Abused in an Israeli Prison, CNN
Salem alleges to have been beaten, verbally abused, had hot water poured on him, and told by soldiers that the rest of his family had been killed. Salem said much of prisoners’ time in detention was spent in their underwear, but before each interrogation session, soldiers would order him to strip naked.

Iran Says Hezbollah’s Attack Shows Israel Losing Its Deterrent Power, Reuters
Despite the comprehensive support of states like the United States, Israel could not predict the time and place of a limited and managed response by the resistance. Israel has lost its deterrence power, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani wrote on X. Kanaani added that Israel “now has to defend itself within its occupied territories” and that “strategic balances have undergone fundamental changes” to the detriment of Israel.

One of Gaza’s Last Functioning Hospitals Is Emptying Out as Israeli Forces Draw Near, AP
Doctors Without Borders, an international charity known by its French acronym MSF, said an explosion around 250 meters (yards) from the hospital on Sunday caused panic, accelerating the exodus. “As a result, MSF is considering whether to suspend wound care for the time being, while trying to maintain life-saving treatment,” it said on the platform X. The hospital says it was treating over 600 patients before the evacuation orders, which apply to residential areas about a kilometer (0.6 mile) away. Around 100 patients remain, including seven in intensive care and eight in the children’s ward.

Children Are Drinking From Puddles and Wading Through Sewage Pools, as Israel Pummels Water Systems in Gaza, CNN
Billy Stockwell and Sana Noor Haq report, “Two soldiers in black combat boots and green tactical clothing appear to wire explosives to pumps at the Canada Water reservoir in Rafah, southern Gaza. Moments later, an orange blaze tears through the critical facility in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood, as ribbons of grey smoke erupt into the sky. There have been many water facilities damaged or destroyed by Israel’s 10-month-long assault in Gaza, according to the UN and various other international bodies, compounding the civilian population’s suffering, risking the spread of disease and leading human rights experts to accuse Israel of using water supply as a weapon.”

Israel’s Hunt for the Elusive Leader of Hamas, The New York Times
The New York Times reports, “Killing or capturing Mr. Sinwar would undoubtedly have a dramatic impact on the war. American officials believe it would offer Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel a way to claim a significant military victory and potentially make him more willing to end military operations in Gaza. But it is less clear what effect Mr. Sinwar’s death would have on negotiations for the release of hostages seized on Oct. 7. Removing him might make his successors far less willing to make a deal with Israel.”

Jewish Terror Has Exploded, and Nothing Is Standing in Its Way. It May Bring Israel Down, Haaretz
The Haaretz Editorial shares, “As long as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich remain in the government, it will be impossible to fight Jewish terror. As long as the former is in charge of the police and the latter is in charge of the occupied territories, Jewish terror will know that it has the backing of higher authorities.”

Kamala Harris Wants to Support Israel, and Palestinians. It Will Be Even Harder Than It Seems, The Forward
Dan Perry writes, “Harris is trying to have it both ways, which is fair in a tough election — but it’s also fair to wonder how much of her current stance is about American politics, and whether it would continue once elected. To be blunt, to win, she needs the support of both the Jewish community in Pennsylvania and the Muslims in Michigan — two battleground states which would, if somehow secured together, probably send her to the White House.”

Israel’s Economy Is Struggling. Economists Say Ending the War Would Help, AP
Julia Frankel reports, “Of all 38 member countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Israel’s economy underwent the biggest slowdown from April to June, the organization reported Thursday. The Israeli GDP was projected to grow 3% in 2024. The Bank of Israel now predicts a growth rate of 1.5% — and that’s if the war ends this year.”

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