Israeli forces launched new airstrikes and opened fire in Gaza despite an ongoing ceasefire, killing several Palestinians and sparking fears that the fragile truce could collapse. According to Al Jazeera, four civilians were killed in the Al-Shaaf area of Gaza City when they returned to inspect their destroyed homes. The Israeli army claimed they fired on militants who had crossed a boundary known as the “yellow line,” established under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on October 10. Since then, Gaza authorities report at least 97 Palestinians killed, with both sides accusing each other of violating the agreement. Last Sunday, Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed 42 people, including children. Hamas denied Israeli claims of attacks near Rafah and accused Israel of seeking excuses to restart the conflict. Despite threats to block humanitarian aid, Israel later confirmed it would maintain the truce. The UN said aid deliveries to Gaza have resumed.

Although a ceasefire officially took effect in Gaza last Friday, Israeli attacks have persisted, resulting in at least 97 Palestinian deaths and over 230 injuries, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office and Al Jazeera. The office reported that Israel has violated the truce agreement 80 times since it began. Israel claims its recent strikes were in retaliation for alleged ceasefire violations by Hamas, but Hamas has denied the accusations. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the ceasefire remains in effect and that Washington is ensuring the situation stays calm. French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held talks urging immediate humanitarian relief for Palestinians and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces. Both leaders emphasized working together toward a two-state solution. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed over 68,000 Palestinians and injured more than 170,000.

Following intense airstrikes across the Gaza Strip that left at least 45 Palestinians dead, Israel has announced the reinstatement of a ceasefire. According to the Times of Israel, Israeli forces launched heavy attacks throughout Sunday (October 19) after claiming that two soldiers were killed and three seriously wounded in a Hamas assault near Rafah. Hamas, however, denied any involvement in the incident. Despite that, Israeli forces continued bombings in several parts of Gaza. Later in the day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declared that the ceasefire was being re-enforced based on “political-level instructions” following a series of operations in Gaza. Meanwhile, Gaza’s media office reported that since the ceasefire began on October 10, Israeli forces have violated it at least 80 times, killing 97 Palestinians and injuring over 230. Gaza’s Health Ministry states that since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed 68,159 Palestinians and injured 170,203 others.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed until further notice, sparking concern over the fragile ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian territory. According to reports, Israel has violated the truce 47 times since it was declared, resulting in the deaths of at least 38 Palestinians. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces continue military activities in areas such as Shejaiya, al-Tuffah, and Khan Younis, while Palestinians are still barred from Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun. Netanyahu claimed the border cannot reopen because Hamas has yet to return the bodies of all Israeli hostages. Palestinian groups argue the decision breaches the ceasefire agreement, which included reopening Rafah and allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. Hamas warned that continued border closures could delay the handover of hostages’ remains, further complicating the already strained truce.

An Iranian news agency, Mehr, has reported that hacker collective Handala has released the identities and personal information of 17 senior Israeli military scientists. The group described this act as an “unprecedented leak,” claiming these individuals—both men and women—are the core architects of Israel’s “Zionist war machine.” According to Handala, the scientists are not unknown employees but designers of weapons that have caused immense suffering and death among innocent civilians. The hackers published the confidential details as part of what they call a campaign for accountability and resistance against Israeli military aggression. As of now, Israeli authorities have made no official comment, and the authenticity of the leaked information has not been independently verified. The revelation has drawn significant attention amid ongoing cyber confrontations linked to the Israel–Iran conflict.

Israel has announced plans to demolish the remaining underground tunnels in Gaza operated by Hamas immediately after the scheduled release of hostages, a move approved by the United States. The tunnels, which extend under the border into Israeli territory, have been used by Hamas to launch surprise attacks. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military has been instructed to prepare for the operation, which will follow the current U.S.-supported ceasefire in Gaza. The ceasefire, initiated three days ago, has already paved the way for the release of 48 Israeli hostages and the reciprocal freeing of 250 prisoners and 1,700 Palestinians detained by Israel. Hamas has agreed to the first phase of the U.S. plan but has not yet committed to full disarmament, citing complications in the second phase.

Israel has continued air and artillery strikes on Gaza City and Khan Younis despite a ceasefire agreement meant to end two years of war with Hamas. Local officials report at least nine Palestinians killed since Thursday morning. Witnesses say Israeli drones and tanks have targeted civilian areas, blocking displaced residents from returning home. The ceasefire, brokered by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, includes prisoner exchanges, humanitarian aid entry, and phased Israeli withdrawal. In the first phase, Hamas will release 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Around 400 aid trucks are expected to enter Gaza soon. The war, sparked in October 2023, has killed over 67,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of Gaza’s infrastructure, prompting the UN to call it a humanitarian catastrophe.

Renowned Bangladeshi photographer and Drik Managing Director Shahidul Alam has been detained by Israeli forces from the ship Conscience, which was part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s mission to Gaza. In a video posted on Facebook Wednesday morning, Shahidul said that their vessel was intercepted at sea and he had been “kidnapped” by Israeli occupation forces. He urged global solidarity with the Palestinian struggle against genocide and oppression. The Times of Israel reported that the flotilla, consisting of nine vessels carrying over 100 activists, attempted to break through the Gaza naval blockade but was intercepted by the Israeli navy. Israeli authorities confirmed that all ships and passengers were safely taken to an Israeli port and would soon be deported. The flotilla had departed from Italy about two weeks ago, aiming to deliver humanitarian aid and draw attention to Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.

Four French lawmakers detained in Israel after participating in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have begun a hunger strike in solidarity with Palestinians, according to their party, France Unbowed. The group’s leader, Manon Aubry, told French radio that the detainees — François Piquemal, Marie Mesmayer, Rima Hassan, and Emma Fourreau — are being held in harsh conditions, with over ten people in a single cell and limited access to water. Aubry said communication has been minimal, only through lawyers and the French consul. France Unbowed urged the French government to secure the lawmakers’ release. The four were among 30 French nationals arrested when Israel intercepted the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” a convoy of 45 ships attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza in defiance of the blockade. The hunger strike highlights growing international concern over Israel’s treatment of pro-Palestinian activists and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Israel has agreed to an initial phase of troop withdrawal from Gaza. He emphasized that a ceasefire would come into effect immediately once Hamas confirms it. Hamas has also accepted parts of Trump’s 20-point proposal, signaling progress toward halting the Israeli offensive. The White House had earlier released a map indicating the boundaries for the initial withdrawal, which would still leave Israel controlling approximately 55 percent of Gaza according to BBC Verify. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope that hostages held in Gaza could be released soon and stressed that Hamas has no choice but to accept the U.S. proposal under combined diplomatic and military pressure. Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s commitment to ending Hamas’s control over Gaza and disarming the militant group, marking a potential turning point in the conflict.

Israel has carried out fresh airstrikes across Gaza, killing 46 Palestinians, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s directive to halt bombings following Hamas’s agreement to a ceasefire. The latest attacks, which continued from early Saturday to evening, included a deadly strike on a home in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood that killed 17 people from one family, among them women and children—the youngest just eight months old. Al Jazeera reports that three of the dead were waiting for aid. Gaza’s Health Ministry says the death toll since the war began on October 7, 2023, has now reached 67,074. The enclave faces severe famine, with two more people dying from hunger in the past 24 hours, raising starvation-related deaths to 459, including 154 children. The Israeli military has not commented on the recent operations.

Israel has sent 137 people detained from the Global Sumud Flotilla to Turkey, following the forcible interception of 443 activists in international waters. The detainees include citizens from the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania, Malaysia, Bahrain, Morocco, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Turkey. Israeli commandos had earlier intercepted all ships of the Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla, detaining human rights activists on board, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Many countries have condemned Israel’s actions as “acts of terrorism.” The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of more than 40 civilian vessels, aims to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and involves nearly 500 activists from 46 countries, including elected representatives, lawyers, doctors, and journalists. The first convoy sailed from Barcelona on August 31, with additional vessels joining from Tunisia, Sicily, and later from the Greek island of Samos.

Israel has deported 137 detainees from the Global Sumud Flotilla to Turkey, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Earlier, Israeli forces intercepted the humanitarian flotilla in international waters, detaining 443 people from 46 countries, including rights activists, lawyers, doctors, journalists, and European Parliament members. Among them was Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. The flotilla, comprising over 40 civilian ships, was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in defiance of Israel’s blockade. Many nations condemned Israel’s actions, labeling them as acts of aggression and a violation of international law. The first group of vessels departed from Barcelona on August 31, later joined by ships from Tunisia, Italy, and Greece. The detained individuals included citizens of the U.S., U.K., Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania, Malaysia, Bahrain, Morocco, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Turkey. The deportation marks escalating tensions surrounding humanitarian efforts to reach Gaza amid ongoing conflict and global outcry.

Israel has launched a series of new airstrikes on Gaza, killing at least 20 people, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s direct order to cease attacks following Hamas’s partial acceptance of a U.S.-brokered peace proposal. According to Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal, last night was marked by intense bombings across Gaza City and other regions. Around 20 houses were destroyed in the strikes. The attacks came just as civilians had begun returning home after Trump’s call for restraint and Hamas’s conditional approval of the ceasefire plan. The Israeli military, however, claimed that ongoing operations in Gaza City made the area unsafe and urged residents to stay away. The renewed assault has raised fears among Gazans that hopes for peace and an end to the 30-month-long conflict may once again fade, undermining recent diplomatic efforts led by Washington.

Israel’s government has directed its military to halt its operation to seize Gaza following Hamas’s positive response to a U.S.-proposed peace plan. Army Radio reported that Israel’s political leadership instructed the military to scale down activities to a minimum and focus solely on defensive measures. Hamas has agreed to release all Israeli hostages, living and deceased, and expressed willingness to discuss a ceasefire and administrative handover. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated Israel is ready to implement the first phase of President Trump’s plan for immediate hostage release. Meanwhile, Trump urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza to ensure the safe evacuation of hostages, emphasizing that the ceasefire proposal aims not only to stabilize Gaza but also to achieve long-term peace across the Middle East. Talks on details and implementation have already begun.