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.

Hamas has accused Israel of multiple violations of the ceasefire in Gaza, claiming that Israeli attacks have killed at least 46 Palestinians and injured over 130 since the truce was implemented. Half of the victims are reportedly children, women, and the elderly, including the entire Abu Shaban family. Hamas described these violations as deliberate targeting of civilians and an effort to undermine the ceasefire. The organization also claims Israel continues to block essential supplies such as food, medical equipment, and construction materials, while delaying the release of women and underage prisoners. Despite the challenges, Hamas says it remains fully committed to the truce and calls on mediators to ensure Israel adheres to the agreement. The ceasefire was brokered on October 10 as part of a phased U.S.-proposed plan, including prisoner exchanges and Gaza reconstruction.

Israel has resumed airstrikes on Gaza, breaking the recently established ceasefire agreement, according to reports from Al Jazeera. The attacks targeted Rafah and several areas in southern Gaza, following what Israeli sources described as “exchanges of fire” with Hamas fighters. Israeli media claimed the strikes were a response to “terrorist activities” in Rafah, where two Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed in a vehicle explosion. Meanwhile, Hamas issued a statement rejecting recent U.S. accusations that it was preparing new attacks, calling the allegations “a reflection of Israeli propaganda.” The group accused Israel of arming criminal gangs involved in looting aid trucks and attacking civilians, saying such crimes are already documented by Israeli media. Hamas urged the U.S. to stop echoing Israeli narratives and to pressure Tel Aviv to uphold the ceasefire. The statement reaffirmed Hamas’s commitment to protecting Palestinian civilians and maintaining stability in Gaza.

Just eight days after a ceasefire took effect, Israel launched a deadly attack in Gaza, killing 11 members of the Abu Shahban family, including seven children and three women. The assault occurred in Gaza City’s Zeitoun area, where an Israeli tank shell struck their civilian vehicle as they were returning home to assess damage. Gaza’s Civil Defense reported that two children remain missing, likely dismembered by the explosion. The attack has drawn condemnation from Hamas, which labeled it a “massacre” and urged international mediators, including U.S. President Donald Trump, to pressure Israel to respect the ceasefire. Gaza’s media office further revealed that at least 38 Palestinians have been killed since the prisoner exchange began, while essential aid such as food and medicine remains severely restricted. This renewed violence threatens to derail fragile truce efforts and deepen the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Hamas, the Palestinian resistance movement, has stated that it cannot immediately return the bodies of the remaining hostages due to the absence of specialized machinery needed to remove rubble caused by Israeli airstrikes. Many of the bodies are reportedly trapped inside destroyed tunnels or buried beneath collapsed buildings. The group emphasized its commitment to the Gaza agreement and its willingness to hand over all hostages’ remains but blamed Israel for the delay, saying the necessary equipment is being blocked from entering Gaza. Last Monday, Hamas returned 20 living hostages along with the bodies of four deceased hostages. The Red Cross confirmed that 45 Palestinians who died in Israeli custody were also returned to Gaza. Israel and Hamas had agreed to implement the first phase of a U.S. peace plan, which included transferring all remaining hostages, but delays have led Israel to limit humanitarian aid and postpone reopening the Rafah border crossing.

As a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas takes effect, displaced Palestinians are cautiously returning to their homes in Gaza, including areas like Jabalia, Sheikh Radwan, and Abu Iskandar. Amid the rubble, many are discovering unexploded Israeli “explosive robots,” which remain silent but highly dangerous. First deployed in Jabalia refugee camp in May 2024, these armored, remote-controlled vehicles filled with explosives have caused widespread destruction in northern Gaza, destroying hundreds of residential buildings daily. Civil defense officials report that the blast radius can reach up to 500 meters, leaving severe infrastructural damage. Survivors recount terrifying experiences of being buried under rubble within seconds of explosions. Human rights monitors have condemned the use of such weapons in densely populated areas as “war crimes and crimes against humanity.” Health experts warn that toxic gases and heavy metal smoke released from explosions are causing severe respiratory and neurological problems among the affected population.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Israel could resume military operations in Gaza if Hamas fails to comply with the terms of the ceasefire agreement. In an interview with CNN, Trump said the situation involving Hamas “will be resolved very soon,” emphasizing that if Hamas refuses to disarm, Israel has his permission to “go back to the streets” and “crush them completely.” Trump also claimed that he has personally held Israel back from further attacks so far. According to Trump, the immediate priority is the release of 20 Israeli hostages, while Hamas must return the bodies of the deceased and surrender its weapons as promised. Meanwhile, Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, said they have already handed over all living captives and recoverable bodies, though more time and equipment are needed to locate the rest. The current truce, brokered in late September, remains fragile.

On Monday, October 13, Israel released around 250 Palestinians who had been serving life or long-term sentences, along with approximately 1,718 others detained during the Gaza war. Among the freed was Abdullah Abu Rafe, who described Israeli prisons as “slaughterhouses” rather than detention facilities. He recounted the harsh conditions, including the absence of mattresses, confiscated belongings, poor food, and general mistreatment. Another former prisoner, Yasin Abu Amra, described experiencing severe hunger, beatings, and torture, revealing he went four days without food. Said Shubair expressed indescribable joy at seeing the sun without bars, emphasizing that freedom is priceless. The United Nations had previously listed many of those released as forcibly disappeared. The testimonies shed light on the severe human rights concerns in Israeli detention facilities and the emotional relief and elation of those regaining their freedom.

Israel has freed 3,700 Palestinian detainees as part of a Gaza ceasefire agreement, according to the country’s Central Prison Authority. The release took place on October 13 in two phases. Around 2,000 prisoners from Ofer Prison near Ramallah were transported by buses, arranged by the International Committee of the Red Cross, to the West Bank city of Beitunia. Another 1,718 prisoners, previously held in Israel’s Negev Prison, were sent to Gaza’s Khan Younis. Among them were 250 inmates serving life sentences, many of whom were detained following Israel’s 2023 military operations in Gaza. Upon arrival, the released individuals underwent medical examinations at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in Beitunia and Khan Younis to welcome them amid scenes of joy and relief, marking a significant moment in the ongoing ceasefire process.

In a landmark event held in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh, world leaders gathered to sign the Gaza Peace Agreement aimed at ending over two years of war between Israel and Hamas. U.S. President Donald Trump, calling it “The Biggest Deal,” joined Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and over 30 other leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to attend, citing the start of the Jewish festival Simchat Torah, though diplomatic sources suggested Erdoğan’s warning of a potential Muslim boycott influenced his decision. Trump hailed the agreement as a new dawn for Middle East peace, while analysts said it could bring a lasting ceasefire and humanitarian rebuilding to Gaza.

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has released seven Israeli hostages, transferring them to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza, according to Reuters. The Israeli military confirmed the release, saying the ICRC received the hostages before heading toward Israeli forces in Gaza. The freed hostages include twins Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, embracing and waving flags in celebration of the news. Meanwhile, large crowds assembled in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, where hundreds of released Palestinian prisoners are expected to arrive at the Nasser Medical Complex. Hamas earlier announced a list of 20 Israeli hostages to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons, marking one of the largest prisoner exchange efforts since the conflict began.

Hamas has announced that the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza will begin on Monday morning under a newly implemented ceasefire agreement. In exchange, Israel is expected to free around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners for 20 living Israeli captives. The prisoner swap marks the first phase of the ceasefire, which comes after nearly two years of conflict. Senior Hamas leader Osama Hamdan confirmed the schedule in an interview with AFP. On the same day, world leaders—including U.S. President Donald Trump, Egypt’s Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and UN chief António Guterres—will gather in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh for an international summit aimed at ending the Gaza war and promoting long-term Middle East stability. Hamas has declined to attend, citing its indirect participation through Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

More than 500,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to Gaza City after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Friday, October 10. According to Gaza’s Civil Defense agency, residents are going back to their ruined homes despite massive destruction caused by weeks of heavy bombardment. The truce follows indirect talks mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, aiming to end nearly two years of conflict. Former U.S. President Donald Trump played a key role in initiating the peace process after proposing a 20-point peace plan during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Both sides agreed to the plan’s first phase earlier this week, paving the way for the ceasefire and partial troop withdrawal. For many Palestinians, the return marks both relief and uncertainty amid the city’s shattered infrastructure and ongoing humanitarian crisis.

In the wake of Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, most of the enclave’s mosques have been reduced to rubble, erasing centuries of spiritual and architectural heritage. Once-standing minarets that called the faithful to prayer now lie shattered, leaving Gaza nearly devoid of its historic skyline. The Gaza Media Office reports that out of 1,244 mosques, more than 835 have been completely destroyed and 180 partially damaged — including Ottoman- and Mamluk-era sites. Among the ruins, survivors like 62-year-old Abu Khaled al-Najjar continue to pray over the debris of their lifelong sanctuaries, refusing to abandon faith despite devastation. In the Old City, young residents like Mahmoud Kandil search the wreckage of the Great Omari Mosque for remnants of their past, while elderly worshippers such as Umm Wael cling to prayer from their homes. Gaza’s faith endures, even as its mosques vanish beneath the dust of war.

Hamas has announced an agreement with Israel aimed at ending more than two years of conflict in Gaza. The deal, based on a U.S. proposal, includes the cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of occupation forces, entry of humanitarian aid, and the exchange of prisoners. A key figure in the talks is Hamas commander Ibrahim Hamed, considered by Israel’s Shin Bet as “Second Yahya Sinwar” and serving a 54-year life sentence. Hamed, a veteran of the Second Intifada and planner of multiple military operations, has remained a symbol of Palestinian resistance despite harsh imprisonment. Under the initial phase of the agreement, Hamas will release 20 Israeli prisoners within 72 hours of the ceasefire, while Israel will free over 2,000 Palestinian detainees, including hundreds serving life sentences.