Palestinian Information Center – July 31, 2025
Dozens of casualties as Israeli army persists in its genocidal war on Gaza
The Israeli occupation army continued, last night and on Thursday, to carry out deadly attacks on different areas of the Gaza Strip, killing and injuring dozens of civilians.
According to local media sources, Israeli forces also continued today to detonate and bomb more homes and displace families in the Gaza Strip, further deepening the dire humanitarian crisis as the population grapples with worsening famine.
According to the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) reporter in Gaza, Israeli attacks have continued across the Gaza Strip, including an Israeli strike on tents sheltering displaced families in al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis.
Five people, including three women, were martyred and several others suffered injuries, mostly children, in the Israeli attack on tents in al-Mawasi area.
Another strike on a tent sheltering a displaced family killed a couple and their two children in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
A mother and her three children were also massacred in a similar attack on a tent in the Bir 19 area of Khan Yunis.
Three civilians were martyred and four others were injured following an Israeli strike that targeted an apartment belonging to the Salfiti family in Gaza City’s Ahmed Yassin street.
Last night, two nine-year-old kids were killed and others were injured when the Israeli army bombed their tent in al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis.
Meanwhile, two people, including a child, were pronounced dead today due to starvation and malnutrition, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
More people were martyred or injured in Israeli attacks on aid seekers near US-backed distribution points in southern and central Gaza.
The Israeli army also launched attacks on other areas of the Gaza Strip last night and today, killing and wounding more civilians, including children and women.
Meanwhile, several Gazans were pronounced dead after they succumbed to injuries they sustained in recent attacks.
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/07/31/344474
Palestinian Information Center – July 31, 2025
Gaza: Hospitals receive 101 martyrs, death toll climbs to 60,239
During the past 24 hours, hospitals in the Gaza Strip received the bodies of at least 101 civilians, as well as 625 people suffering from different injuries following Israeli attacks, according to Gaza’s health ministry on Thursday morning.
Accordingly, a total of 9,071 people have been killed and 34,853 others have been injured since the Israeli occupation army resumed its genocidal war on Gaza on March 18, 2025.
The new fatalities increased the death toll from the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, which started on October 7, 2023, to 60,239 martyrs, including 1,320 aid seekers who were killed at or near US-backed distribution points, the health ministry said.
The ministry added that the total number of the wounded also surged to 146,894 people, including 8,818 aid seekers.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to recover the bodies of more martyrs who are still missing in different areas of the Gaza Strip.
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/07/31/344464/
Palestinian Information Center – July 31, 2025
Journalist Ibrahim Hajjaj killed in Gaza airstrike
Palestinian journalist was killed after Israeli warplanes targeted residential homes in Gaza City on Wednesday evening.
The PIC correspondent reported that journalist Ibrahim Mahmoud Hajjaj was killed earlier today following an Israeli airstrike near Al-Zahraa School in the Al-Daraj neighborhood in eastern Gaza City.
The airstrike also resulted in the martyrdom of other civilians and the injury of several more. Hajjaj, who worked as a photojournalist, was a father of three children.
Hajjaj’s death brings the total number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, to 235.
Medical sources in Gaza stated that 22 civilians have been killed and dozens injured since dawn today, including 15 aid seekers, due to the ongoing Israeli military assault.
The Journalists’ Syndicate condemned the targeting of Hajjaj and other journalists as a “systematic policy of field executions aimed at silencing the Palestinian truth and terrorizing media professionals.”
It held Israel fully responsible for this crime and called on the international community to immediately act to protect journalists and hold the killers accountable.
Later on Wednesday evening, 30 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in artillery shelling and live fire by Israeli occupation forces targeting aid distribution points across various areas in Gaza.
Medical sources confirmed that dozens were martyred and others wounded after artillery shelling hit a gathering of civilians near the Morag axis, northwest of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.
In a parallel incident, over 30 civilians were killed and others injured when occupation forces fired shells and heavy machine guns at a group of aid seekers near the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza.
These crimes are part of the ongoing Israeli targeting of Palestinians waiting for aid in Gaza. Since the launch of the Israeli-American aid mechanism overseen by the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” on May 27, 2025, hundreds of aid seekers have been killed.
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/07/31/344430/
Over 100 convicted in Pakistan for pro-Imran Khan protests
PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan says the verdicts would be challenged in a higher court, calling them "bad for democracy and the country altogether.
More than 100 people, including top lawmakers, were convicted in Pakistan on Thursday over their alleged roles in the 2023 protests supporting former Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Among those sentenced to 10 years in prison were six members of parliament, a senator, and a provincial lawmaker. Notably, Omar Ayub Khan, the opposition leader in Pakistan’s National Assembly, was among those convicted, despite not being present at the protests.
An anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad found Ayub guilty of abetting violence and conspiring to incite riots and arson during the nationwide unrest that broke out on May 9, 2023, after Khanﾒs brief arrest in Islamabad.
'Black day for democracy'
PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan said the verdicts would be challenged in a higher court, calling them "bad for democracy and the country altogether."
The convicted officials, who were out on bail during the trial, have not yet been taken into custody.
Former PM Imran Khan, who served from 2018 to 2022, has spent nearly two years in jail on charges he believes are politically driven. His party has faced a sweeping crackdown since, with thousands of supporters arrested and his name largely censored in the media.
London-based PTI spokesperson Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari condemned the ruling, calling it “a black day for democracy.”
"Convicting opposition leaders one after another is not a good omen for any democratic system, and it will seriously damage our already fragile democracy," he said.
Iran demands war compensation before resuming nuclear talks: Araghchi
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran won’t resume nuclear talks unless compensated for US-Israeli attacks and guaranteed no repeat strikes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that Tehran will not return to the negotiation table over its nuclear program unless the United States compensates Iran for the losses it suffered during the recent US-Israeli aggression. His remarks, published on Thursday in the Financial Times (FT), come amid mounting diplomatic uncertainty following "Israel's" 12-day war with Iran.
Speaking from Tehran, Araghchi emphasized that "business as usual" is no longer acceptable, pointing to what he described as an unprovoked assault that violated international law and severely damaged prospects for dialogue.
"They should explain why they attacked us in the middle of...negotiations, and they have to ensure that they are not going to repeat that [during future talks]," he said in an interview, adding, "And they have to compensate [Iran for] the damage that they have done."
Iran demands compensation for US-Israeli attacks
"Israel" launched an unprovoked war on Iran on June 13, assassinating military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. A week later, the United States joined the assault by bombing three Iranian nuclear facilities, in breach of the UN Charter and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
In retaliation, Iran's Armed Forces launched precision strikes on strategic sites across the occupied Palestinian territories and theﾠUSﾒ al-Udeid air base in Qatar. By June 24, "Israel", under intense counterstrikes, sought a ceasefire.
Before the aggression, Iran and the United States had conducted five rounds of indirect talks aimed at reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The sixth round, scheduled for June 15 in Muscat and mediated by Oman, was scrapped due to the escalation.
Araghchi noted to the FT that the war had deeply eroded trust in US President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 deal during his first term. "Anti-negotiation feelings are very high," he said.
"People are telling me, 'Don’t waste your time anymore… if they come to negotiations it’s only a cover-up for their other intentions.'"
Iran’s conditions for future negotiations
While affirming that diplomacy remains possible, Araghchi made clear that any future Iran-US nuclear talks in 2025 must be preceded by clear commitments. "The road to negotiation is narrow, but it’s not impossible," he said, adding that "We need real confidence-building measures from their side."
These include financial compensation, assurances of non-aggression during talks, and a demonstrated commitment to a "win-win" solution.
Responding to Trump’s insistence on zero uranium enrichment, Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s firm stance on its right to enrichment under the NPT. "We can negotiate… but with zero enrichment, we don’t have a thing."
Iran's stance remains one of the key sticking points in any potential future deal. Araghchi also warned the E3, Britain, France, and Germany, that any attempt to trigger the snapback mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions would end all negotiations with Tehran.
"If they do snapback, that means that this is the end of the road for them," he said, adding, "With the Europeans, there is no reason right now to negotiate because they cannot lift sanctions, they cannot do anything."
The snapback mechanism threat, paired with perceived E3 inaction, has further undermined Iran’s trust in the European parties to the JCPOA.
Iran reaffirms to E3 uranium enrichment as non-negotiable
It is worth adding that on Saturday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, confirmed that uranium enrichment on Iranian soil remains a non-negotiable element in any future agreement, as reiterated during the latest talks in Istanbul.
In an interview with Turkey's Khabar Turk channel on Saturday, Takht-Ravanchi stated that the date and location of the next round of talks have yet to be determined. However, he emphasized that Istanbul is a preferred option for both Tehran and the European Troika, consisting of France, Germany, and the UK.
He also revealed that Iran and the United States are exchanging messages through intermediary states, underscoring the ongoing indirect diplomatic communication between the two sides.
The Iranian diplomat especially stressed that Tehran made it clear to European negotiators that uranium enrichment is a red line and must continue within Iran’s territory.
Gaza MoH reports 111 martyrs, 820 injured amid Israeli aggression
111 Palestinians were martyred in 24 hours, including 91 aid seekers, as Gaza's death toll from the genocide surpasses 60,000.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Thursday that 111 Palestinians were martyred and 820 others wounded in the past 24 hours as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Since the beginning of the aggression on October 7, 2023, the total death toll has risen to 60,249 martyrs, with 147,089 injuries documented across the Strip. From March 18, 2025, until today, 9,081 people have been martyred and 35,048 injured.
Additionally, 91 Palestinians were martyred and more than 666 were injured in only 24 hours while seeking aid. This brings the total number of martyred aid seekers who have arrived at hospitals to 1,330 martyrs and over 8,818 injured.
Israeli measures do nothing to end starvation in Gaza: Aid workers
Aid organizations criticized on Wednesday "Israelﾒs" recently announced 'humanitarian' measures in Gaza, such as daily pauses in fighting, airdropped supplies, and limited aid corridors, saying they are inadequate and fail to address the worsening famine.
These steps, introduced on Sunday under growing international pressure, have not eased the severe restrictions on aid access, aid workers told The Guardian.
Humanitarian groups blame "Israelﾒs" ongoing blockade as the primary driver of the starvation crisis. Despite the deepening emergency, Israeli airstrikes continue, with at least 104 people killed in 24 hours, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Oxfam policy lead Bushra Khalidi called the new measures "token gestures", accusing "Israel" of using them to deflect international criticism while continuing to obstruct aid deliveries.
Most border crossings remain closed, and the UN has reiterated its call for a full ceasefire and the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid to prevent further loss of life.
Operation 'Gideon’s Chariots' nears end, Israeli Army pulling back
While the Israeli Army scales back in northern Gaza, Palestinian Resistance fighters escalate ambushes in the south, defying months of occupation assaults and setbacks.
The Israeli military announced on Thursday that the 98th Division has completed its deployment in the northern Gaza Strip and is now transitioning to prepare "for future missions, in line with broader operational objectives". The shift marks a de-escalation in the scope of "Israel's" Operation Gideon’s Chariots, which is entering its final phase, Israeli media reported.
In recent weeks, the 98th division's focus was concentrated on the Shujaiyah and Zeitoun neighborhoods.
Operation Gideon’s Chariots, which a senior military official said is set to conclude in the coming days, has so far claimed the lives of 41 Israeli soldiers and officers, according to Israeli media. It reportedly aimed to dismantle three Hamas brigades and facilitate the rescue of captives.
Internal divisions within the Israeli leadership also surfaced this week, as per Israeli media. During a cabinet security session on Monday, Israeli army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly clashed with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Zamir warned that a full-scale "takeover of Gaza" could span several years and advocated instead for continued "precision" operations. In response, Smotrich demanded an apology, exclaiming, “We already miss Herzi Halevi. You attacked him over exactly the same things.”
Gaza continues to resist
This comes as the Palestinian Resistance continues carrying out significant operations and complex ambushes. The al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced a series of coordinated operations on Thursday targeting occupation forces in the southern Gaza Strip, specifically in Khan Younis. The attacks come amid continuing confrontations and ongoing Israeli ground incursions into the besieged enclave.
According to a statement by the Resistance group, several mortar shells were fired at a gathering of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles east of the al-Qarara area, northeast of Khan Younis. The shelling reportedly caused casualties among the occupation forces.
In a separate operation, al-Qassam fighters detonated three barrel bombs inside an Israeli military vehicle hangar located south of the Batn al-Sameen area. The blast resulted in the killing and wounding of Israeli soldiers, according to the group.
Earlier in the day, the al-Qassam Brigades ambushed three Israeli armored personnel carriers in a well-coordinated attack east of Khan Younis. The operation was described by the group as "complex" and aimed at disrupting the advancement of Israeli military columns in the area.
'Gideon's Chariots' operation in Gaza is doomed to fail: Haaretz
In May, Israeli newspaper Haaretz condemned the "Gideon's Chariots" operation, calling it a doomed and misguided military campaign lacking both domestic and international legitimacy.
The operation, according to the paper, is built on political illusions and military objectives that are neither clear nor achievable.
At the time, military correspondent Yaniv Kubovich reported that newly issued operational directives to Israeli army commanders ranked captive recovery at the bottom of mission priorities, which reinforces longstanding concerns that the war’s publicly stated objective, the return of captives, was never taken seriously by either the government or military leadership.
Kubovich noted that the internal list of objectives undermines recent statements by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and military spokesperson Avi Dovrin, who publicly emphasized that freeing captives was the army’s primary mission.
In contrast, the actual orders show that this goal has been sidelined, casting doubt on the integrity of official messaging.
The editorial also pointed out a shift in language from "abductees" to "hostages," a change that seems more rhetorical than substantive. Haaretz argued that rebranding the captives does not change the reality on the ground or the lack of urgency in efforts to secure their release, which remain overshadowed by broader military aims.
Syria wants Russia ‘by our side’ in new government’s first Moscow visit
Syria’s new rulers have decided to take a pragmatic approach, despite Russia’s support for previous President Bashar al-Assad.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani has said his country wants Russia “by our side”, marking the first formal visit to Moscow by an official of the new government in Damascus since Syria’s previous Russian-backed government was overthrown last year.
“The current period is full of various challenges and threats, but it is also an opportunity to build a united and strong Syria. And, of course, we are interested in having Russia by our side on this path,” al-Shaibani told his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Thursday during his visit to Moscow, according to a Russian translation of his comments.
“But, of course, there are a number of factors that determine and complicate these relations on the ground,” al-Shaibani said, adding that the relations should be based on “mutual respect”.
Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a key Russian ally in the Middle East, fled to Moscow last year after being ousted in a lightning rebel offensive that ended five decades of the al-Assad family’s rule.
After settling in Russia, al-Assad later claimed in a statement posted on Facebook that he wanted to stay in the country and continue fighting, but that the Russians had pulled him out of the country.
Despite having been on opposite sides of the battle lines during the civil war – Russia took part in air attacks against the Syrian opposition and used its military might to prevent the regime’s collapse in the early years of the war – the new rulers in Damascus, headed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, have taken a pragmatic approach to relations with Moscow.
A Russian delegation visited Damascus in January, and the following month, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had a call with al-Sharaa that the Kremlin described as “constructive and business-like”. Some Russian forces have remained at Russia’s bases on the Syrian coast, and Russia has reportedly sent oil shipments to Syria.
Russia to support Syria’s reconstruction efforts
Al-Sharaa thanked Russia for its “strong position in rejecting Israeli strikes and repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty” after Israel intervened in clashes between Syrian government forces, Bedouin forces and armed groups from the Druze religious minority earlier this month that left more than 250 people dead.
Speaking to reporters after the talks on Thursday, Lavrov thanked “Syrian colleagues for the steps they’re taking to ensure the safety of Russian citizens and Russian facilities” in Syria.
“We reaffirmed our support for the preservation of the unity, territorial integrity and independence of the Syrian Arab Republic and are ready to provide the Syrian people with all possible assistance in post-conflict reconstruction. We agreed that we will continue our dialogue on these issues,” Lavrov said.
Without naming al-Assad, al-Shaibani called on Russia to support the country’s post-Assad “transitional justice” process and said Syria has formed a committee to review existing agreements with Russia.
Russia has a naval base in Tartous and an airbase at Khmeimim, situated on Syria’s Mediterranean coast – both are Moscow’s only official military outposts outside the former Soviet Union.
It is unclear whether the new Syrian government will allow Moscow to keep its bases in the country.
Lavrov said Russia was “ready to provide the Syrian people with all possible assistance in post-conflict reconstruction” and also reiterated Russia’s invitation to al-Sharaa to join the first Russia-Arab League summit scheduled for October 15.
