A growing willingness by among Israeli news media to critically explore the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has all but evaporated in recent weeks after militant group Hamas released videos of two emaciated Israeli hostages.

Witkoff and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, visited an aid site in Gaza run by the controversial Israel and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) on Friday, as the United Nations said that over 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food since the end of May, including 859 at GHF sites.

New images of emaciated Israeli hostages held in Gaza have horrified Israelis and added pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire with Hamas.

Families of Israeli hostages kept captive in Gaza are calling for a nationwide general strike next Sunday, in protest of the Israeli security cabinet’s recent decision to expand the war and take over Gaza City.

Co-founder of the hawkish Tikva forum, Tzvika Mor's comments, come after the Israeli Security Cabinet voted to approve Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to occupy Gaza City. Tzvika Mor, father of Gaza hostage Eitan Mor and co-founder of the Tikva Forum,

A group representing many of the hostages’ families has said the Israeli security cabinet’s plan to take control of Gaza City could further endanger their loved ones.

Local health officials in Gaza say Israeli forces have killed at least 55 people overnight, including a well-known journalist who Israel said was a militant and people who witnesses say were seeking humanitarian aid.

The Israeli military targeted and killed a crew of Al Jazeera journalists, including prominent correspondent Anas Al-Sharif, in Gaza City on Aug. 10.