Israel Halts Then Resumes Gaza Ceasefire; Aid Set to Flow Monday

The fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which took effect on October 10, 2025, after two years of devastating conflict, faced its sternest test yet on October 19 when Israeli forces launched a barrage of airstrikes across Gaza in retaliation for an alleged militant attack that killed two Israeli soldiers. Health officials in the Hamas-run enclave reported at least 36 Palestinian deaths, including children, from strikes in central and southern areas such as Nuseirat, Bureij, Zawaida, Beit Lahiya, and Khan Younis.

Israel's military accused Hamas of violating the truce by firing on troops in the Israeli-controlled Rafah sector, prompting a temporary halt in humanitarian aid deliveries. By late Sunday, however, the Israeli Defence Forces announced a resumption of ceasefire enforcement, with an anonymous security official confirming aid would restart on Monday. This episode, the first major flare-up since the agreement's activation, highlights the tenuous balance in a war that has claimed over 68,000 Palestinian lives and displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population of Gaza, according to U.N.-verified figures.

The strikes, which targeted dozens of alleged Hamas sites, evoked fears of a full relapse into hostilities, reminiscent of a previous truce collapse in March 2025 after just two months of calm. Palestinian civilians, many already grappling with famine after Israel's earlier two-month aid blockade, expressed dread over renewed bombardment. "It will be a nightmare," said Mahmoud Hashim, a Gaza City father of five, urging U.S. President Donald Trump and mediators to intervene.

Hospitals like Al-Awda, Shifa, and Nasser overflowed with casualties: 24 bodies arrived from Nuseirat and Bureij raids, six from a Zawaida coffeehouse airstrike, two from Beit Lahiya, and four—including a woman and two children—from a Khan Younis tent shelter. Hamas denied involvement, stating communication with its Rafah units had been severed for months and attributing incidents to Israeli-occupied "red zones". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after consulting security chiefs, ordered "strong action" against violations but stopped short of threatening war resumption while directing the military to maintain restraint.

U.S. involvement underscored the deal's international stakes, with Trump, aboard Air Force One, affirming the ceasefire's endurance despite Hamas's "rambunctious" elements—possibly "rebels" unaffiliated with leadership. "It's going to be handled toughly but properly," he said, placing the response "under review" without endorsing the strikes. Vice President JD Vance hinted at an imminent Israel visit to assess progress, acknowledging "fits and starts" in implementation. Egyptian mediators, led by a senior official engaging in round-the-clock diplomacy, reported progress in de-escalation. The first phase of Trump's 20-point plan, signed in Sharm El-Sheikh on October 13, mandated phased Israeli withdrawals from urban areas, hostage-prisoner swaps, and aid surges—yet challenges persist, including mutual accusations of breaches and proxy clashes between Hamas and Israeli-backed groups in Gaza.

Also Read: US Warns of Imminent Hamas Attack on Gaza Civilians, Vows Protection Measures

Progress on hostages offered a silver lining amid the chaos. Israel identified remains of two captives released overnight: Ronen Engel, a Nir Oz father whose wife and children were freed in a 2023 exchange, and Thai worker Sonthaya Oakkharasri from Kibbutz Be'eri—both killed in Hamas's October 7, 2023, assault that ignited the war, slaying 1,200 mostly civilians and abducting 251. Hamas has returned 12 bodies in the past week, with its Qassam Brigades vowing another handover if field conditions allow, while warning escalations could impede searches. Israel, in turn, repatriated 15 unidentified Palestinian bodies on Sunday, bringing the total to 150; Gaza's Health Ministry noted only 25 identifications amid decomposition issues complicating family reunions.

The Rafah crossing—Gaza's sole non-Israeli gateway—remains shuttered until all 28 deceased hostages' remains are recovered, per Israeli demands. As a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo for phase-two talks on disarming militants, Israeli pullbacks, and postwar governance via an international authority, spokesman Hazem Kassem stressed avoiding a power vacuum through technocratic rule, rejecting Hamas's direct involvement. With thousands missing per Red Cross estimates, this ceasefire's survival hinges on trust-building amid profound devastation.

Also Read: Trump Warns Hamas Over Gaza Executions, Says Violence "was not the deal"