Israeli forces carried out a late-night raid in Blida, southern Lebanon, on October 29, killing municipal worker Ibrahim Salameh. The operation, which involved drones and armored vehicles, targeted a municipal building, allegedly to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure, though Israel has provided no evidence that the building was used by the group. The military claimed gunfire was opened after encountering a “suspicious individual,” but it remains unclear whether Salameh was the intended target. The attack has sparked outrage across Lebanon. President Michel Aoun has ordered the military to repel any Israeli incursions along the southern border. Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the strike as a blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and government institutions. Demonstrations were held in Blida and surrounding towns, with protesters burning tires and blocking roads to denounce the attack and the state’s failure to protect citizens.

The United Nations reports that more than 24,000 tons of humanitarian aid have entered Gaza since the ceasefire began, marking a sharp rise from pre-ceasefire levels. UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov said relief is now being distributed across communities, while the World Food Programme collected 20,000 tons of food in 20 days. Reduced looting has eased distribution efforts, and UNICEF has opened 15 therapeutic centers, eight in northern Gaza. Alakbarov emphasized the need to implement the U.S. 20-point peace plan to ensure continued aid access and urged Israel to allow NGOs to participate in relief work, noting that registration barriers persist. The U.S. military has also set up a coordination center in southern Israel to monitor the truce and aid flow. UN officials say the ceasefire has enabled the largest humanitarian push in months.

Hamas, the Palestinian resistance movement, has strongly condemned Israel for violating the Gaza ceasefire, warning that it will not remain silent amid continued Israeli attacks. The group accused both Israel and the United States of responsibility for the ongoing violence. Hamas emphasized that recent assaults represent a serious breach of the Sharm El-Sheikh ceasefire agreement, signed under U.S. supervision. The resistance movement reaffirmed its commitment to unity and adherence to the truce but warned that Israel will not be allowed to alter the status quo through military force. Hamas also denied involvement in the Rafah incident and criticized U.S. support of Israel, describing it as encouragement for further aggression. The warning comes after reports that Israel has killed at least 100 Palestinians in violation of the ceasefire.

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have reportedly killed over 1,500 civilians in El-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur previously held by the Sudanese army. The massacre occurred over just three days as RSF troops captured the city following a 17-month siege. According to the Sudanese Doctors Network and Al Jazeera, RSF fighters executed civilians attempting to flee, marking what observers describe as a “true genocide.” The group also claims that RSF attacks — including bombings, starvation tactics, and extrajudicial killings — have killed nearly 14,000 people in El-Fasher over the past 18 months. Since the outbreak of war between the RSF and the Sudanese army in 2023, thousands have died and over 12 million people have been displaced. The Sudanese government stated that about 2,000 people have been killed in El-Fasher since Sunday, underscoring the country’s deepening humanitarian catastrophe.

Israel has carried out fresh airstrikes on Gaza, killing two Palestinians, despite announcing that the ceasefire would remain in effect. The attack, which took place in Beit Lahia on Wednesday evening, comes just days after more than 100 people, mostly women and children, were killed in heavy bombardments ordered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the death of an Israeli soldier in Rafah. Israel claims the latest strike targeted a weapons storage site that posed an immediate threat to its forces. The renewed assault has cast doubt on Gaza’s already fragile truce. The United States has stated that the ceasefire remains “not at risk,” while Qatar, a key mediator, expressed disappointment but remains hopeful about progress. The United Nations condemned the attacks, with Secretary-General António Guterres voicing deep concern over civilian casualties, including many children.

At least 100 Palestinians were killed overnight in renewed Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, according to hospital and civil defense sources. The attacks, launched between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, reportedly targeted residential areas, refugee shelters, and makeshift tents, killing at least 91 people initially, later confirmed to have risen above 100, including 35 children. Gaza’s hospital authorities said emergency medical teams continue to treat hundreds of wounded civilians amid severe shortages of medical supplies.

The strikes have been widely condemned as a violation of the fragile ceasefire agreement. International calls for intervention to protect Palestinian civilians have grown louder, as global organizations and governments urge Israel to halt the bombardment. U.S. President Donald Trump commented that Israel “retaliated after a soldier’s death,” but claimed the response “would not endanger the ceasefire.” He also urged Hamas to “act responsibly.”

The latest escalation follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s direct order for intensified operations after a gunfire exchange in Rafah killed an Israeli soldier. Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have reportedly killed around 70,000 Palestinians and injured over 170,000, underscoring the catastrophic humanitarian toll of the conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered immediate, large-scale air and ground attacks on Gaza following allegations that Hamas violated the ongoing ceasefire agreement. According to Israeli authorities, Hamas has failed to return the bodies of 13 Israeli hostages still believed to be trapped under rubble in Gaza, an act they describe as a direct breach of the truce.

Hamas, however, stated that the recovery of those bodies requires heavy machinery and expert teams due to the extensive destruction in the area. Although Israel allowed limited humanitarian assistance for rescue efforts, the retrieval of all remains remains incomplete. Mediators—including U.S. officials and former President Donald Trump—had reportedly warned earlier that recovering the hostages’ remains from the ruins would be extremely difficult.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas was supposed to return the bodies in exchange for Israel partially halting its military operations. With progress stalled, the situation has once again escalated sharply. Analysts believe Netanyahu’s renewed offensive may serve as a strategic response to justify continued military actions, further complicating peace prospects. Observers also fear the new strikes could severely worsen Gaza’s already dire humanitarian crisis.

Israeli Army Chief Lieutenant General Yaal Zamir has declared that the war in Gaza will continue until Hamas returns the bodies of all Israeli hostages killed during the conflict. Speaking at a conference of IDF lieutenant commanders in Jerusalem on October 27, Zamir emphasized that the mission remains “sacred,” with two key goals — recovering the bodies of Israeli hostages and sustaining the campaign against Hamas. He stressed that the Israel Defense Forces are committed to fulfilling their moral and professional duty with courage and determination. The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza has resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian deaths. Although a ceasefire brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump began on October 10, the issue of returning the bodies of deceased hostages continues to hinder lasting peace.

Hamas, the Palestinian nationalist group, said it would disarm only if Israeli occupation ends and a sovereign Palestinian state is established. Senior spokesman Khalil al-Hayya said decisions about the movement’s weapons are tied to the presence of Israeli occupation and aggression. AFP reported Israel has demanded Hamas disarm as part of ending the two-year war, and the United States has made progress on a twenty-point plan conditional on surrendering arms. Al-Hayya said that if occupation ends, weapons could be transferred to a state authority, though he did not name one. Hamas also signalled it will not resume direct governance of Gaza after the conflict and rejected Western calls for fighters to disarm immediately. The group insists fighters would surrender arms only after an independent Palestinian state is formed and be integrated into its military. Separately, Hamas agreed to hand administration to a proposed technocratic committee but refused to relinquish weapons.

More than 20 pro-Ukraine nations have pledged to phase out Russian oil and gas from global markets to curb funding for President Vladimir Putin’s war efforts. Following the “Coalition of the Willing” summit in London, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said allies are working to “cut off financing for Russia’s war machine.” The UK and US recently sanctioned Russia’s two biggest oil companies, while the EU targeted its LNG exports. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that mounting pressure is the only way to stop the war, though no new missile supply deal was announced. U.S. President Donald Trump has declined to send Tomahawk missiles for now, while Putin warned of a “devastating” response if Russian territory is attacked. The EU will continue financial aid for Ukraine but has yet to decide on using €140 billion in frozen Russian assets.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised Qatar for its crucial role in implementing the Gaza ceasefire agreement and promoting peace in the Middle East. During a meeting aboard Air Force One in Doha on Saturday, en route to the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, Trump met with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Trump highlighted the “incredible progress” made together over the past year toward establishing regional peace, thanking Qatar for its leadership. He hinted that Qatari forces could participate in ensuring a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. The Qatari Emir later posted on X that the meeting provided a valuable opportunity to discuss peace plans, the Gaza truce progress, and bilateral strategic cooperation. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that forming a multinational peacekeeping force in Gaza might require UN or international authorization.

Kirill Dmitriev, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, has announced that Moscow is “very close” to reaching a diplomatic settlement with Washington and Kyiv to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. Speaking to CNN after arriving in Washington for meetings with U.S. officials, Dmitriev confirmed that a planned meeting between Putin and President Donald Trump has not been canceled and will take place at a later date. He emphasized that discussions continue despite new U.S. sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector. European diplomats indicate that the EU is preparing a new ceasefire proposal consistent with previous frameworks, keeping the U.S. as the main mediator. Dmitriev also highlighted that Ukrainian President Zelensky’s acknowledgment of frontline realities could help build a bridge between the conflicting parties. He warned that sanctions might inadvertently raise gasoline prices in the U.S.

In the span of a single week, Russian forces have taken control of ten new settlements across Ukraine’s Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia provinces, according to a statement by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 24. The ministry reported that during the same period, Russian troops destroyed 22 depots containing Ukrainian weapons and military equipment. Ukrainian forces attempted several airstrikes targeting Russian positions but were reportedly repelled, resulting in the loss of one Su-27 fighter jet, four cruise missiles, 18 guided aviation bombs, 15 HIMARS rockets, and 1,441 drones. Over the past three years, Russia has occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson provinces, covering about 10% of Ukraine’s territory. Ukraine continues efforts to reclaim these regions, with no immediate sign of the conflict ending.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have claimed responsibility for killing Abbas Hassan Karki, Hezbollah’s southern front logistics chief, in a drone strike near the town of Toul in southern Lebanon on October 24. According to the IDF, Karki had led efforts to rebuild Hezbollah’s combat capabilities, assisted in reconstructing damaged infrastructure, and oversaw weapons transfers and storage in the region. The IDF described his actions as a violation of the understanding between Israel and Lebanon. Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health confirmed that two people were killed and two injured in the strike but did not comment on Israel’s claim regarding Karki. The attack comes amid ongoing tensions, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November 2024, following a conflict that killed over 4,000 people, injured 17,000+, and displaced roughly 1.4 million Lebanese.

Two weeks after the ceasefire in Gaza, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that hunger and malnutrition remain at catastrophic levels. The agency said that Israeli restrictions are preventing sufficient humanitarian aid, including food, from reaching the besieged population. The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) revealed it can deliver only 750 tons of food daily—far below its 2,000-ton goal—due to limited entry points. A UN report noted that a quarter of Gaza’s population, including 11,500 pregnant women, faces hunger, while 70% of newborns are premature or underweight. Aid groups, including Oxfam and the Norwegian Refugee Council, accused Israel of indiscriminately blocking relief shipments. Local NGOs report rising food prices and shortages of nutritious items like seeds and olives. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the situation remains dire as aid entering Gaza is far below what’s needed.