Israel will allow foreign countries, including Arab states like Jordan and the UAE, to conduct air drops of aid into the Gaza Strip in the coming days, following international criticism of the humanitarian situation. Security officials in Israel acknowledge the difficulty of the situation due to high population density but maintain there is no widespread hunger, according to a report this morning. These airdrops are part of broader efforts to increase humanitarian assistance, with Israel also preparing to resume its own air bridge operations next week, pending Hamas's response, as reported by Egyptian media. The IDF stated that along with operational achievements, including a 75% control of the Gaza Strip, a severe humanitarian crisis has emerged for the over 2 million residents. Israel claims Hamas is propagating a "hunger campaign" to pressure Israel into ending the war and improving deal terms, citing previous campaigns regarding water and hospital functionality. In a separate development, the IDF and Shin Bet announced yesterday that Amjad Muhammad Hassan Sha'er, the chief of Hamas's counterintelligence directorate, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza on Wednesday. The IDF stated Sha'er's directorate was vital for suppressing opposition, counter-espionage, and securing Hamas officials. The Israeli Air Force also conducted strikes on dozens of targets across Gaza in the past day, including infrastructure and operative cells, as five IDF divisions continue ground operations, with the 98th Division expanding operations in Gaza City. International efforts to deliver aid continue, with Israel opening all land crossings for humanitarian assistance from Jordan and Egypt. The United Nations, which had previously refused to lead trucks from Kerem Shalom, has begun collecting 150 trucks daily into Gaza following Israeli protests. The US is also working to continue its distribution complexes, with a dedicated compound for women to be opened today for better population control after past distribution challenges. In the West Bank, two senior terrorist operatives were arrested in Nablus yesterday. Separately, about 50 individuals entered the Tomb of Joseph in Nablus overnight without coordination and were surrounded by Palestinians who began throwing stones. Border Police intervened and rescued the group, transferring them to police custody. French President Macron's Middle Eastern affairs advisor stated that France will not be the sole country to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN rally in September.
