The Israeli navy mentioned Friday night it had eradicated the highest-ranking ISIS official within the Gaza Strip, Muhammad Abd al-Aziz Abu Zubaida, in a strike carried out up to now week within the Al-Bureij space of central Gaza.
Based on the Israel Protection Forces, the strike was carried out utilizing aerial property below the route of Southern Command and below steerage from the Navy Intelligence Directorate.
Abu Zubaida served as the pinnacle of ISIS’s Palestine District and was chargeable for coverage, planning and implementation of the group’s operations within the West Financial institution, Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula.
The navy mentioned the group has actively engaged in fight in opposition to IDF forces and facilitated the switch of weapons and terror funding from the West Financial institution into Gaza.
Additionally on Friday, the IDF mentioned alerts have been activated in open areas of the Gaza border area because of a false identification of a rocket launch. Based on the navy, an interceptor missile was launched and alerts have been sounded in line with customary coverage.
Earlier within the day the navy mentioned it had stepped up armed operations round Gaza Metropolis, ending non permanent pauses there that had allowed for help deliveries because it pushed forward with a plan to take full management of Gaza Metropolis.
An Israeli military APC armored personnel provider rolls within the Gaza Strip close to the border with southern Israel on August 29, 2025. (Jack GUEZ/AFP)
“The native tactical pause in navy exercise is not going to apply to the realm of Gaza Metropolis, which constitutes a harmful fight zone,” the navy mentioned. The assault on Gaza Metropolis has step by step intensified over the previous week as Israel has urged civilians to depart for the south of the Palestinian enclave.
The Hamas-run Gaza well being ministry mentioned Friday that 5 individuals, together with two kids, had died from malnutrition and hunger over the earlier 24 hours, bringing the whole alleged variety of deaths from such instances to 322 for the reason that begin of the conflict. Israeli fireplace throughout the besieged Palestinian enclave killed 48 individuals on Friday, native well being authorities mentioned.
Final week a world starvation monitor that works with the United Nations and main help companies mentioned it had decided there was famine in Gaza. Israel has rejected the report as “fabricated” and based mostly on manipulated information.
Two days after assembly UN World Meals Programme government director Cindy McCain in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace criticized her Friday for what it claimed have been statements that contradicted what she mentioned of their sit-down.
Displaced Palestinians flee Gaza Metropolis in direction of the southern areas of the Gaza Strip, in Nuseirat, on August 28, 2025. (Eyad BABA / AFP)
“Ms. McCain agreed that the help looted by Hamas doesn’t attain its supposed humanitarian vacation spot and that Hamas seizes the help and sells it at exorbitant costs,” the PMO mentioned.
“McCain mentioned that in her current go to to Gaza, she noticed a dramatic enchancment: meals was accessible, costs had dropped and markets had enough items at affordable costs,” Netanyahu’s workplace continued. “It’s unlucky that for the reason that assembly, Ms. McCain has issued statements that contradict what she mentioned in Jerusalem throughout that assembly.”
The PMO didn’t specify which allegedly contradictory statements of McCain’s it was referring to. McCain did converse a number of occasions publicly about hunger in Gaza, however didn’t seem to instantly level the finger at Israel.
US Senator Lindsey Graham was on the assembly, and mentioned that it went very effectively.
“I met ravenous kids receiving remedy for extreme malnutrition – and I noticed images of once they have been wholesome. Right this moment they’re unrecognizable,” McCain mentioned, in line with the WFP.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with World Meals Programme government director Cindy McCain in Jerusalem alongside Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham on August 27, 2025. (Haim Zach/GPO)
“What we’d like is a ceasefire. My coronary heart goes out to the moms in Gaza, in addition to to the moms of the Israeli hostages, whose kids are presently ravenous. Sufficient is sufficient,” McCain mentioned throughout a go to to Ramallah. “We are able to rapidly scale up humanitarian help to achieve essentially the most susceptible inside Gaza, assist the return of all hostages, and lay the inspiration for peace and stability.”
Netanyahu and McCain had launched a joint assertion after their assembly, calling it “constructive” and noting the current improve in help going into Gaza.
The World Well being Group mentioned Friday it had run out of essential medical provides in Gaza that it must deal with a surge in instances of a uncommon paralysis-causing syndrome within the Palestinian enclave.
There have been 94 documented instances of Guillain-Barré syndrome in Gaza since June, leading to 10 deaths, though GBS had not often been seen within the enclave earlier than the Israel-Hamas conflict started almost two years in the past, it mentioned.
GBS is a uncommon situation that entails an individual’s immune system attacking the peripheral nerves. Extreme instances may end up in near-total paralysis and respiratory issues, the WHO mentioned.
The fatalities embody 4 kids below 15 and 6 older sufferers with a mean age of 25, the WHO mentioned. Two of the victims had acquired no remedy, reflecting essential shortages in important remedy provides, it added.
The surge in GBS has primarily been pushed by gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, carefully linked to deteriorating water, sanitation and hygiene circumstances, it mentioned.
The IDF mentioned Friday that it could proceed supporting help distribution efforts throughout the enclave — except Gaza Metropolis — whereas concurrently finishing up “offensive operations in opposition to terror teams in Gaza to guard Israeli civilians.”
Displaced Palestinians flee Gaza Metropolis in direction of the southern areas of the Gaza Strip, in Nuseirat, on August 28, 2025.(Eyad Baba/AFP)
The navy is gearing up for an offensive which goals to seize Gaza Metropolis, the place an estimated a million Palestinians — or roughly half of the enclave’s inhabitants — are presently centered. The IDF has urged civilians to evacuate town and transfer south.
Jerusalem is shifting ahead with the plan, regardless of broad worldwide opposition — except the US — in addition to anger at dwelling amongst many voters who really feel the transfer poses unjustified threat to the remaining hostages, in addition to to troopers, and favor a comprehensive deal with the Hamas terror group to return the captives in trade for an finish to the conflict.
Additionally Friday, the IDF mentioned in a press release that troops working within the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City had “recognized a squad of terrorists who have been hiding in a navy construction about 100 meters (yards) from them.”
The Israeli troops “directed an Air Drive plane to assault the construction and eradicated the terrorists,” the assertion mentioned, attaching video of the incident.
Moreover, an statement submit aimed toward IDF forces was struck, the navy mentioned, publishing footage of that assault as effectively.
On Thursday night time, the navy mentioned IDF troops working in Zeitoun had found and destroyed a roughly one-kilometer-long (0.6 miles) Hamas tunnel outfitted with residing quarters and weapons.
The conflict in Gaza started on October 7, 2023, when 1000’s of Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 individuals and taking 251 hostages, of whom 48 are nonetheless held, 20-22 of whom are believed to be alive.
The Hamas-run Gaza well being ministry says greater than 62,000 individuals within the Strip have been killed or are presumed useless within the preventing to date, although the toll can’t be verified and doesn’t differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it has killed over 22,000 combatants in battle as of August and one other 1,600 terrorists inside Israel throughout and instantly following the October 7 onslaught.
Israel has mentioned it seeks to reduce civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas makes use of Gaza’s civilians as human shields, preventing from civilian areas together with properties, hospitals, faculties and mosques.
Israel’s toll within the floor offensive in opposition to Hamas in Gaza and in navy operations alongside the border with the Strip stands at 460.
