Published: · Region: Middle East · Category: conflict

Three Palestinians killed in Gaza as Netanyahu rules out Israeli withdrawal

Israeli fire killed three Palestinians near Khan Younis and a separate strike reportedly killed a cyclist in Gaza City, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will not leave Gaza and will block reconstruction until Hamas is dismantled and the territory is demilitarized.

Three Palestinians were killed on 28 August in an Israeli attack northeast of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, while local channels reported an Israeli drone strike that killed a bicycle rider in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood. As those casualties were being counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel will not leave the Gaza Strip and will block any reconstruction until Hamas is dismantled and Gaza is demilitarized.

Palestinian sources said the three people killed near Khan Younis died under Israeli fire, but provided limited detail on their identities or whether they belonged to armed groups. In the Sabra area of Gaza City, Gazan outlets reported that an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle struck a man riding a bicycle, killing him. Israeli authorities had not publicly detailed these specific incidents by midday.

Netanyahu said there would be no reconstruction of Gaza until Hamas is dismantled and the territory is fully demilitarized, and insisted that Israel would preserve “freedom of action to strike whoever we need to.” He also said he had told interlocutors that he intended to secure the release of hostages “through force,” not by pulling out troops, and stated that Israel is not leaving the Gaza Strip.

He further rejected bringing into government figures who support a Palestinian state, arguing that Israel would not be given another opportunity to secure what he described as the nation‑state of the Jewish people. In parallel, he spoke of turning Israel into an “industrial superpower in ammunition and weapons” and of adding 400 billion to the defense budget over the coming decade.

By tying reconstruction to the dismantling of Hamas and demilitarization, Israel is using control over materials and border crossings as leverage on Gaza’s future governance. International donors who might fund rebuilding will have to decide whether to accept those conditions or seek other channels, as humanitarian needs continue in a territory repeatedly hit by strikes.

The conflict’s trajectory will hinge on whether Israeli operations in Gaza intensify or shift, whether any new hostage deals emerge despite the hard public line, and how major external players respond to the stated refusal to leave Gaza or allow reconstruction under current conditions.

Sources

Related Coverage

MIDDLE EAST

Iran links reopening Strait of Hormuz to full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza

Iran is tying the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to a total withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, directly connecting the Gaza war to one of the world’s key energy routes. The move signals Tehran’s readiness to keep tension high around the chokepoint rather than return to pre‑war conditions.
MIDDLE EAST

SDF Commander Says Kurdish Force Will Dissolve and Join Syrian State Institutions

Syrian Democratic Forces commander Mazloum Abdi has announced the dissolution of the Kurdish‑led force and its full integration into Syrian state institutions, a move the European Union says would strengthen national unity and support civil peace.
LATIN AMERICA

U.S. uses high‑energy laser to shoot down cartel drones near Mexico border

The U.S. military used a high‑energy laser to destroy three drones flown by drug cartels near the southern border, a rare operational use of directed‑energy weapons in support of border security.
WARNING

War-Driven Shocks Hit Oil Flows as Novorossiysk Cut, 6,000 Seafarers Trapped in Gulf

Traders report Russia’s Novorossiysk oil loadings are set to more than halve in August under drone-attack pressure, while the UN maritime agency says roughly 400 ships and 6,000 crew are stranded in the Persian Gulf by the Iran war’s chokehold on Hormuz. The dual squeeze on Black Sea and Gulf routes raises the risk of a structurally tighter oil market, heavier insurance costs, and mounting safety and political liabilities for Moscow, Gulf capitals and Western importers.
WARNING

Fresh Ukrainian strike hits major Yaroslavl oil refinery

Ukrainian drones have again struck the Slavneft‑YANOS refinery in Yaroslavl, one of Russia’s largest, with reports of multiple fires at the complex. Repeated degradation of this 15 mtpa facility increases the risk of sustained Russian product export and domestic supply disruptions, supporting higher European diesel and global crude/product spreads.
WARNING

Reports: Ukrainian Drones Again Hit Major Yaroslavl Oil Refinery Deep Inside Russia

A Ukrainian drone strike early 28 August reportedly set Russia’s 15mtpa Slavneft‑YANOS refinery in Yaroslavl on fire again, with large smoke plumes visible over the complex. Repeated successful attacks on one of Russia’s biggest inland refineries signal growing vulnerability of its fuel backbone and raise questions for global refined‑product supply, insurance pricing, and Moscow’s capacity to sustain the war economy.