Israel's Chief Rabbi denies Palestinian existence and rights

Israel's Chief Rabbi, David Yosef, denied the existence of Palestinians as a people and stated they “have no rights” during a speech at the Gush Katif Museum in West Jerusalem. Yosef claimed that Gaza and occupied cities in the West Bank, such as Nablus and Jenin, belong to the Jewish people. He advocated for the destruction of the Gaza enclave and expressed support for settlements in the territory.

Separately, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warned that recent Israeli military attacks in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians, may constitute war crimes. The UN expressed concern regarding attacks on police agents and facilities. According to the UN, at least 22 Palestinians, including women and minors, were killed in Israeli military operations between August 13 and August 19, with 17 deaths recorded between August 18 and 19 alone.