Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday Israel must “complete” the defeat of Hamas to free hostages held in Gaza, a day after Israeli media reported the army could occupy the entire territory. “It is necessary to complete the defeat of the enemy in Gaza, to free all our hostages and to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel,” Netanyahu said during a visit to an army training facility.

LONDON: US House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican officials visited the occupied West Bank on Monday in support of Israeli settlements, The Guardian reported. Johnson met Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar before his visit to the Palestinian territory. The last high-profile American visit to the West Bank was in 2020, when then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Psagot, an Israeli settlement near the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

RIYADH: Non-oil business activity in the Middle East showed mixed trends in July, with Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar maintaining growth, while Egypt demonstrated signs of recovery and Lebanon remained under pressure. According to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index report released by S&P Global, Kuwait’s PMI ticked up to 53.5 in July from 53.1 in June, signalling a solid monthly improvement in the health of the non-oil private sector.