For today, links to nine reports: from Reuters, Middle East Monitor, the Associated Press, the Anadolu Agency, and Common Dreams, and to commentary from Common Dreams and Middle East Eye; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM
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FROM AUG. 4 Israeli strikes hit Gaza schools, hospital compound after talks fail, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters CAIRO — An Israeli air strike hit two schools in Gaza City on Sunday, killing at least 25 people, the Palestinian official news agency said, while the Israeli military said it struck a Hamas military compound embedded in the schools. Earlier . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Common Dreams.
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Israel announces assassination of Gaza’s deputy Minister for Economy. From Middle East Monitor. Israeli forces have claimed responsibility for the assassination of Gaza’s deputy Minister for Economy, amid a flurry of assassinations of Palestinians officials in recent months. READ MORE . . .
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FROM AUG. 4 U.S. and allies prepare to defend Israel as Netanyahu says it’s already in ‘multi-front war’ with Iran, by Natalie Melzer and Samy Magdy | AP TEL AVIV — Israel is already in a “multi-front war” with Iran and its proxies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a Cabinet meeting Sunday, as the United States and allies prepared to defend Israel from an expected counterstrike and prevent an even more . . . READ MORE . . .
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Proxy forces armed by Iran could take part in retaliation against Israel over Hamas leader’s killing, by Jon Gambrell | AP DUBAI — As Iran threatens to respond to the suspected Israeli assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, the regional militias that the Islamic Republic has armed for decades could play a role in any attack. READ MORE . . .
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Russian Security Council head arrives in Iran’s capital Tehran, by Burç Eruygur | Anadolu Agency ISTANBUL — Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergey Shoygu arrived today in Iran’s capital Tehran on a working visit, the Russian state news agency Tass reported. READ MORE . . .
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Iran says it does not want regional escalation but must ‘punish’ Israel. From Reuters. DUBAI — Iran is not looking to escalate regional tensions but believes it needs to punish Israel to prevent further instability, the foreign ministry spokesperson said today, following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week. “Iran seeks . . . READ MORE . . .
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Torture, sexual violence against Palestinian detainees ‘war crime,’ says Amnesty International, by Zuhal Demirci | Anadolu Agency LONDON — Israel’s inhumane treatment of Palestinian detainees at Sde Teiman Prison in southern Israel, including torture and sexual violence, are “war crimes,” according to an official of Amnesty International. READ MORE . . .
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Arundhati Roy: India must stop arming Israel or ‘forever be linked to genocide,’ by Brett Wilkins | Common Dreams / ScheerPost Acclaimed Indian author and activist Arundhati Roy this week joined prominent jurists, diplomats, artists, and others in urging their government to . . . READ MORE . . .
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Israeli minister laments that ‘nobody will let us’ starve 2 million Gazans to death, by Edward Carver | Common Dreams Far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich said today it might be “justified and moral” to cause two million Palestinian civilians to starve to death until Hamas returns Israeli hostages, drawing criticism . . . READ MORE . . .
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War on Gaza: Two Al Jazeera journalists were killed — and the West is silent, by Linah Alsaafin | Middle East Eye “After 300 days of continuous coverage with my friend and companion . . . READ MORE . . .