News:

Israeli airstrikes kill five Palestinians in Gaza. (Ma’an/PNN)

Palestinian militants fire more rockets at Ashdod. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Hamas militants kill 18 alleged Palestinian collaborators. (AP/New York Times/Ma’an/Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)

Britain, France and Germany are pushing for a new UN resolution on Gaza. (AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Israel is examining the option of renewing the Egypt-mediated ceasefire talks. (Ha’aretz)

Hamas leader Haniyeh says there will be no ceasefire until the Gaza siege ends. (Ynet)

Pres. Abbas and Hamas leader Meshaal will hold a second meeting with the Emir of Qatar. (Ma’an)

Abbas reportedly castigated Meshaal over an alleged Hamas plot to overthrow the PA in the West Bank at yesterday’s meeting. (Times of Israel)

The Jerusalem Post looks at the pros and cons of assassinating Hamas commanders. (Jerusalem Post)

The cost of Israel’s “Operation Protective Edge”reaches $60 million a day. (Ha’aretz)

A poll indicates most Israeli Jews are opposed to intermarriage. (Ha’aretz)

Arab states and Israel are likely to clash at next month's annual meeting of the IAEA. (Reuters)

Gen. Dempsey says IS cannot be defeated unless the US and a coalition of partners confront it head-on in Syria. (AP/New York Times/The National)

Ayatollah al-Sistani urges Iraqi leaders to swiftly form a new government. (AP)

Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces launch an operation to retake Jalawla from IS fighters. (The National)

At least 30 people are killed when a Shi'ite Muslim militia opened fired inside an Iraqi Sunni mosque. (Reuters)

IS militants stone a man to death in Mosul. (Reuters)

The UN says the death toll in Syria has risen to more than 191,000 people. (AP/Reuters/NEw York Times)

Pres. Erdogan says FM Davutoglu will become the new prime minister. (Xinhua/AP)

Commentary:

The Jordan Times says the UNSC must force Israelis and Palestinians to achieve a ceasefire. (Jordan Times)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says Palestinians in Gaza are dreading the return of war. (Al-Monitor)

Zvi Bar’el explains why Egypt won’t let Turkey be Gaza’s hero. (Ha’aretz)

Antony Lerman says Israel’s embrace of ever more right-wing nationalist politics has stirred a crisis among Diaspora Jews. (New York Times)

Ha’aretz says PM Netanyahu must resume negotiations with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

George Hishmeh says British and American media differ in their assessment of the Gaza war. (Jordan Times)

The New York Times looks at the question of ransoms. (New York Times)

The Los Angeles Times asks if in the wake of James Foley’s execution, should the US pay ransoms. (Los Angeles Times)

David Ignatius says the US is on the right track against IS. (Washington Post)

Amir Taher says IS is a “threat to humanity.” (Asharq al-Awsat)

Alex Massie says British intelligence can’t prevent men like James Foley’s killer from fighting in Syria or coming home. (Foreign Policy)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed say IS has now declared a war against the radical group the Surooris. (Al Arabiya)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the crisis in Syria and Iraq are joined “at the hip.” (Asharq al-Awsat)

Shane Harris asks if Iraq’s Baathists could help win Iraq back. (Foreign Policy) 

The CSM says Iraq’s newly designated PM al-Abadi can heal the religious and ethnic divisions. (Christian Science Monitor)

The Daily Star says the task of the political and military opposition in Syria is to contribute to a solution. (Daily Star)

The National says addressing terrorism requires the debunking of extremist ideas. (The National)